Spring Awakens and Summer Gin Blossoms

A Note from the Garden: Spring Awakens and Summer Gin Blossoms
By Erika Haeggman, Head Gardener at Secret Garden Distillery

Spring has finally arrived in the garden, and everything is coming back to life. The tulips are standing tall outside the glasshouse, bright and cheerful after a long, wet winter. I’m also thrilled to say that all of our beehives made it through the storms — the honey bees are already out and about, happily buzzing from bloom to bloom.

We care deeply about our pollinators here in the Garden. To keep them well-fed, we make sure the garden is full of early flowering plants. Alongside the botanicals we grow for our gins, we plant spring bulbs, fruit trees, and lungwort — and yes, we even leave the dandelions and daisies in the lawn just for them. It might not be everyone’s idea of a tidy garden, but it means our bees and other pollinators have a reliable food source as soon as they wake up.

Right now, the pear and apple trees are in full flower, and the blossoms are absolutely stunning. We’re carefully harvesting some of them to use in our award-winning London Dry Summer Gin, but we always make sure to leave plenty for the bees and butterflies too. It’s a beautiful balance — we take just what we need to craft a gin that truly captures the season, and nature gets the rest.

This early in the year, we’re also harvesting nettles and sweet woodruff — key botanicals in our much-loved Wild Gin made with organic spirit, another London Dry. Both thrive in the cooler months and bring such earthy, fresh character to the spirit.

Looking ahead, the garden is just getting started. In the next few weeks, I’m especially excited for the peonies, lilacs, and elder to bloom. The scent alone will be worth the wait.

Until next time,
Erika