Mixologists around the world are increasingly cultivating their own cocktail additions and finding inspiration with foraging. The rise of the slow food movement has hit mixology hard, paving way for more complex, layered flavors that cater to present-day drinkers' interest in herbal, floral, spicy, and earthy tones.

There is a newfound admiration for incorporating plants in cocktails, resulting in a surge of opportunities for avid home bartenders. One trend hitting the cocktail scene is the use of eco-conscious garnishes grown at home, sparking conversations about sustainability amidst all the clinking glasses.

Pat Ivain, a notable bartender at Restaurant Matilda at The Henson, New York, believes that mint offers an ideal starting point for home bartenders. Mint's versatility, along with the difficulty of procuring good-quality mint in reasonable quantities from grocery stores, makes it a valuable cocktail addition.

Nihat Çam, director of bars at The Tampa Edition hotel, also considers basil as an equally appealing ingredient for cocktails. These herbs are not just pleasant to the nose, but also easy to maintain.

Other potent additions include lavender and anise hyssop, providing a mix of fascinating scents and flavors. Head distiller at Tattersall Distilling, Bentley Gillman, strongly encourages beginner mixologists to try growing sage, rosemary, thyme, and mint at home.

Growing your cocktail ingredients can be a fun and simple task, even in the limited space of an apartment patio. Strawberries, especially, grow well vertically in pots and make excellent additions to cocktails.

Amy Stewart, author of The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World’s Great Drinks, is an advocate for cultivating rare, hard-to-find plants for cocktails, like scented geranium. These unique ingredients can uplift even basic cocktails like a simple Gin & Tonic or Daiquiri.

The culinary world presents endless opportunities to mix and match with garden botanicals, from muddling these herbs for enhanced flavor to smashing homegrown berries for refreshing drinks.

To extend the lifespan of your harvested goods, you can infuse them into simple syrups. You can also dry them which not only provides longevity but also delivers striking garnishes ready to hop into syrups, oleos, and infusions.

Experts recommend consulting with staff at nurseries or farmers market for the best advice on what to grow, depending on the climate and your personal preferences. They may introduce you to varieties that were not even on your radar.

This shift towards sustainable, home-grown cocktail elements thus introduces a fresh perspective on mixology, influencing how we perceive flavors and their possible combinations. So why wait? Start your mixology garden today and step into a world of fresh, exciting cocktail possibilities.