Peter Dowdall: How to grow your own summer cocktail botanicals and garnishes

You don’t even have to have a large garden — a few well-chosen pots on a sunny windowsill or patio can give you everything you need

There's a 'certain smugness' and joy that comes with growing your own sprig of mint or lemon for your summer drinks, according to Peter Dowdall. File picture

There's something so satisfying about stepping out into your own garden, reaching down to pick a sprig of mint or a handful of lemon verbena, and walking back into the kitchen to muddle it into a summer drink. There’s a unique smugness that comes with knowing that you’ve grown it yourself.

You don’t need a large garden or even a patch of ground to get started. A few well-chosen pots on a sunny windowsill or patio can give you everything you need for fresh, fragrant garnishes and botanicals that will do so much to enhance the biodiversity in your garden, and provide you with fresh herbs for your salads and even some fresh mint for the mojito.