Happy Monday! It’s my favorite day of the month, when I join my blogging friends for beautiful flower therapy and Monday Morning Blooms! I’ll share Mary and Pam’s links at the bottom of this post, as well as our special guest Bonnie from Living With Thanksgiving, be sure to visit them too, more flowers is always a good idea, no? Since summer has officially begun, I thought I’d share these French Lavender Cocktails on the potting bench with you today. They are perfect for all your summer entertaining.
WELCOME TO MONDAY MORNING BLOOMS! We’re excited to have Bonnie of Living with Thanksgiving join us this time, I know, that if you don’t know her already, you will love this sweet and talented friend!
Our theme for our flowers in June is watering cans. You may know that I love antique and vintage watering cans! Whenever we can get some antique French cans, I snap them up for the shop. {And have serious discussions with Mr. FGH who thinks every watering can that arrives here from France should be his to keep!}
It’s the beginning of summer and outdoor entertaining, so I set up our little black potting bench in the back garden for cocktails and appetizers before a summer BBQ.
I filled my antique watering can with pink peonies and a new kind of wax flower that I’ve never seen before but isn’t it so pretty? It has bigger clusters of the little pink flowers.
The cocktails are so good, they’re French Lavender Cocktails. They are easy to make, I’ll share the recipe at the end of this post with you. You can make them with or without alcohol, either version is refreshing and very good!
I froze some of our garden flowers in ice cubes, such a pretty look in drinks in the summer. {Keep reading for my best tips on how to make them.} Everything fits into the large French gathering basket, including our favorite linen napkins.
How fun are these little charcuterie cups I made using our antique French seedling pots? Simply lined with kraft paper, each little pot holds some almonds in the bottom, a long square piece of white cheddar cheese, some peanut butter filled pretzels, a few strawberries, and salami rolled up and skewered on bamboo sticks.
Antique and vintage flower frogs are a fun way to add a little card with a saying to your potting bench drinks station! I used an oval flower frog and added ‘WELCOME SUMMER’ with stamps to our gold bee name cards.
HOW TO MAKE FLORAL ICE CUBES
Floral Ice Cubes are so pretty in summer drinks! Here is how to make them. It’s super easy.
Use Flexible Ice Cube Trays.
To make the large square ice cubes, I used a large silicone ice cube tray. These trays are flexibile which makes it easy to remove the ice cubes. You can get these at different stores, I bought mine at TJMaxx but Target should have them, and any other kind of store that sells housewares.
Use organic, edible flowers.
Make sure the edible flowers are pesticide free. I used rose petals, lavender, and small wax flowers, and tiny petunias.
Make clear ice cubes.
I recommend you boil your water first, and let it cool. If you use regular tap water, your ice cubes will be cloudy, like mine were today. Fill the ice cube trays half way with water, then add flowers, and freeze. Then when they are frozen add the rest of the water to each little compartment. Adding water and petals in phases prevents the petals from floating and freezing to one side of your ice cubes.
You will love using floral ice cubes in your drinks all summer!
Vintage Barkcloth Pillow Cover
French Lavender Cocktails on the Potting Bench
FrenchGardenHouse Lavender Lemonade Cocktail
A grown up lemonade with a French twist. Even though this is special, it’s surprisingly easy, It makes a great mocktail without the alcohol too!
- Water – 3/4 cup {you can use sparkling if preferred}
- Juice from 1 lemon {about 4 tablespoons}
- French Lavender Syrup
- 2 oz. good quality Vodka
How to Make French Lavender Syrup:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup regular fine sugar Sugar
- 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh organic or dried culinary Lavender
Boil water, sugar, and lavender in a saucepan over medium heat. When it simmers, turn the temperature down to low. Stir continuously and continue to cook. After approximately five minutes, the sugar will have dissolved, and and the mixture will get thicker. Be careful not to burn or scorch!
Once it is cool, pour into an air-tight glass jar, it can keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
If you make your syrup the day of wanting to make your drinks, make make sure you allow it cool.
Mix all your ingredients, stir or shake, add your flower ice cubes and savor the flavor of summer in the French countryside!
Thank you for joining me at the potting bench today. I hope the beginning of your summer is lovely! Please be sure to join my dear friends Pam and Mary too.
Do you use garden antiques when entertaining?
Be sure to visit my blooming friends:
Bonnie at Living With Thanksgiving
and me, Lidy at FrenchGardenHouse
A BIENTOT
Shop for the best in French Antiques, furniture with the patina of age, vintage accessories to delight you and your family & friends, and French Country utilitarian pieces. Treasures that make your home fresh, beautiful, inspirational and above all uniquely yours. Visit our shop FrenchGardenHouse.com
Welcome to our back room.
Good Morning Lidy, What a treat to join you for a French Lavender Cocktail to welcome summer in your garden! Your peonies and wax flowers are beautiful in your handsome watering can. I know how Mr. FGH feels, I would hate to part with it too. 🙂 Your potting bench provides such a pretty spot for an outdoor fête with the cascade of flowers and greenery. Such a fun idea to fill your garden pots with charcuterie and enjoy ‘the bloom’ in your drink with floral ice cubes! As always, it’s a treat to join you for some flower therapy and Monday Morning Blooms. Happy June <3
Good morning Mary! I know, you and Mr. FGH share a watering can “thing”…: ). It’s always a blessing to join you and our fellow flower loving friends on this special Monday of the month! xo Lidy
Good morning, Lidy, your potting bench is styled perfectly for a French lavender cocktail and appetizers. Those darling charcuterie garden pots is a delightful idea, that I may have to borrow, especially to serve in your garden.I also love the floral ice cubes and the great tips to make them so pretty. The antique watering can is the ideal vessel to hold the stunning peonies and wax flowers. The branches of Rose of Sharon (??) cascading onto to your potting bench is stunning.
After seeing your French-styled garden party, I think I shall have to throw a garden party! It is always a pleasure to share blooms with you. Happy Monday!
Good morning Pam, so happy to have you join me this favorite Monday of the month! I hope you DO have a garden party soon, because this is the perfect month before it gets too hot, isn’t it? And everything is in bloom. Happy Monday, sweet Pam! xo Lidy
Lidy, You always inspire! I love your watering can arrangement. Peonies thrill me, and the pretty clutters of wax flowers are delightful! Yes, I love your antique watering can. I’m not sure of the age of my watering can. I bought it at Scott’s Antique Market in Atlanta over 25 years ago. I believe it came from England.
Your potting bench is so pretty and styled with a charming basket of pretty linens, French Lavender cocktails, and charcuterie. The floral ice cubes add just the right festive touch. Thank you for the instructions. I am pinning it for future reference.
I enjoyed being a’ guest bloomer’ today. You, ladies, are great flower-loving friends.
Thank you so much Bonnie, for your visit, and for joining us this month for our beloved floral therapy. I love your watering cans, each one of them! And those blue hydrangeas, oh my, so beauiful. Wishing you a gorgeous and blessed month of June, friend. xo Lidy
So pretty and fun. I like the charcuterie cups in the antique French seeding pots. Unique. I feel Mr FGH’s pain. I would have a problem however with everything you bring us from France. Thanks for the reminder to first boil the water to keep the ice cubes clear. It’s the little things that make our world so precious.
Alice, thank you for the visit. Having a little nibble before dinner in the pots was fun, and so easy since everyone could just hold their own little snack. Wishing you a gorgeous and blessed month of June! {ps. don’t encourage my Mr. FGH!! haha}. xo Lidy
hi Lidy, your peonies are gorgeous! They look so pretty in the vintage watering can surrounded by the little pink flower clusters~ such a creative spot for cocktails and apps. The charcuterie pots are such a cute idea, perfect for your garden setting and the flower filled ice cubes are an extra special touch! I would love to sip on a Lavender Lemonade cocktail and stroll around your garden!
Thank you so much for your visit Jenna. I love peonies, if only we could grow these here….but I’m more than excited to be able to buy them when they are in season here. Wishing you a beautiful June. xo
Good morning, Lidy! I have so enjoyed my visit today! Your floral arrangement in the antique watering can in absolutely gorgeous. I adore the way you have set up your potting bench for cocktails and appetizers. The French Lavender cocktails sound so refreshing. The charcuterie in the sweet clay pots is such a lovely touch. You inspire me to want to host a party in my garden. Happy Monday, sweet friend!
Good morning Shannon! Thank you for your visit, I’d love to have you join me for a garden party this summer!
Looking forward to trying your cocktails!
Happiest June to you Donna! I hope you love it. I use the lavender syrup in lemonade sometimes, too!
Love your idea to use your potting bench as sidetable for drinks,snacks in those cute little seedling pots and of course your decorations especially the watering can with the peonies
Thanks Anja! Our spring hasn’t been great as far as sunny late afternoons or evenings this year so far, so any time I can have people join us in the garden is a good time to have fun! Happy June!
Set me a place at this gorgeous table!!!! Now I need to get a potting bench to have an outdoor serving table!!! You know how much I love your backyard oasis! Gorgeous table and flowers!! Happy Monday!
Happy Monday friend! I hope you are enjoying the beginning of the month of June! xo
Loved this, especially the appetizer pots, adorable! Thank you for sharing your beauty.
Thank you, it’s a fun summery garden touch that everyone can do. Happy summer to you! Xo
Thank you so much for this inspiring post. Once again, I’ve added it to my “French Garden House/Lidy Baars” Pinterest board. Your photos are always spectacular and I love and appreciate that you share your recipes. Vintage watering cans? Oh my, yes! I just picked up yet another one in Cambria.
It’s now on the deck at our lake cabin. Merci, merci!!!
Bonjour, Lidy,
What a lovely setting of all the above, I’m going to try the Lavander cocktail and I to use all my antique’s love them love all your smart idea’s flower’s are so pretty you do have a special touch, enjoy your summer partie’s my friend~~~~~Jean V.B. P.S. Thanks for sharing such a joy to see~~~~~