Whether hosting a backyard cookout or weekend brunch, welcome guests with refreshing summer drinks. Here, we’ve gathered recipes for a trio of alcohol-free sippers, eight spirited concoctions, and fun floral ice cubes to dress up your own favorite beverages, shared by some of Flower magazine’s favorite (and most gracious) hosts, drinks masters, and other creative souls.
DreamsiclE Cocktail
Ages 21 and up - This playful cocktail is reminiscent of the ice cream truck push-up pop favorite! Author Katherine Cobbs recommends pairing with Five-Spice Ginger Snaps in her book, Cookies & Cocktails (Tiller Press, 2019). See recipe.Photography by Becky Luigart-Stayner
LAVENDER LIMEADE
All ages - James T. Farmer infuses a classic summertime drink with lavender in a recipe from his book, Sip & Savor. See recipe.
Photography by James T. Farmer III and Maggie Yelton
TEMPLETON ICED TEA
All ages - Cornelia Guest hosts a summer afternoon tea at her family home on Long Island and serves her famous orange iced tea. See recipe.
Photography by Michael Mundy
TROPICAL SPARKLE
All ages - British drinks master David Hurst offers a refreshing pineapple mocktail from this book, From Garden to Glass: 80 Botanical Beverages Made From the Finest Fruits, Cordials, and Infusions. See recipe.
Photography by Zia Shusha/Shutterstock
FLORAL ICE CUBES
All ages - Dani Fischer of Magnolia's Yarden in California shares her tips for making pretty and fun ice cubes using edible flowers. See recipe.
Photography courtesy of Magnolia's Yarden
THE VIOLET BEAUREGARDE
Ages 21 and up - Artist Ronni Robinson cuts a lot of blueberry branches in search of the perfect specimen to create the molds for her works of art. So her husband David, aka The Philly Wine Guy, came up with a tasty gin cocktail to make use of the leftover berries. See recipe.
Photography courtesy of Ronni and David Robinson
"PARADISE CAY" COCKTAIL
Ages 21 and up - For a summer repast at their Paradise Farm in Harpersville, Alabama, restauranteurs Pardis and Frank Stitt created a cocktail made with blackberries, rum, and ginger beer. See recipe.
Photography by Becky Luigart-Stayner
COSTA ESMERALDA
Ages 21 and up - "As refreshing as a mojito," this cocktail hails from the late designer William Yeoward's favorite haunt, Blue Bar at The Berkeley. See the recipe in an excerpt from William Yeoward’s American Bar: The World’s Most Glamorous Cocktails.
Photography © Loupe Images/Gavin Kingcome
CLASSIC BLOODY MARY
Ages 21 and up - Southern food and entertaining guru, (and Food Network Star fan favorite), Martie Duncan shares the recipe for her zippy, crowd-pleasing Bloody Mary. See recipe.
Photography by Martie Duncan
LAVENDER CLOUd anD
R&R (RASPBERRY & ROSE) Cocktails
Ages 21 and up - Jessica Zigman, head bartender for The Cloister’s Georgian Room, whipped up this pair of floral cocktails to get the party conversation flowing at an Elaine Griffin gathering. See recipes.
Photography by Julia Lynn
THE SEA WITCH
Ages 21 and up - “The cocktail I’ve made here, the Sea Witch, is a crowd-pleaser that’s easy to make at home," says Laura Newman of Queen's Park in Birmingham, Alabama. This "postmodern tiki" drink features vodka instead of rum and a simple homemade passionfruit syrup. See recipe.
Photography courtesy of Queen's Park
THE SAINT CLOUD
Ages 21 and up - Based on a cocktail at Aquitaine, a restaurant in Boston’s South End, this delicious summer drink made with freshly squeezed grapefruit and fragrant rosemary sprigs was a favorite of the late, beloved author Julia Reed, who shared it in her book Julia Reed's South. See recipe.
Photography by Paul Costello
THE SWEET AND SALLY COCKTAIL
Ages 21 and up - End-of-summer elderflowers meet early fall apples in this sprightly mix from Carla McDonald, founder and editor-in-chief of The Salonniere, a celebrated arts and entertaining website from 2013 to 2019. See recipe.
Photography courtesy of Carla McDonald