what’s bloomin?

We are keeping our fingers crossed that April’s showers do in fact bring about May flowers - because we at Craft Cocktail are here for it! This month’s newsletter is full of joy, color - and flowers!

We can’t celebrate this month without sharing our love for our moms! Happy Mother’s Day to our absolutely amazing, strong, beautiful, loving moms. We owe them a ton of credit for shaping us into who we are today and providing us the love & confidence to follow our passions in life. Hope you enjoy the throwback photos of Jennifer & her mom, Jonell, and Andra with her mom, Maira.❤️

Beyond inspiring ladies, below you will also find (hopefully inspiring!) ideas for a natural weed killer (no need to kill the bees or good crawling bugs!), as well as a guide to the best edible flowers (for salad or drink garnishes). And the best part: community gardens, as well as some secret gardens to visit which will surely inspire creativity and help you bloom!

Cheers!

jen + andra

Ingredients

• 1 egg white, room temperature
  
• 1 tablespoon water
  
• 24 rose petals
  
• 1 cup superfine sugar
  

Directions

1. Hold petal with tweezers, and brush egg wash over one side with a pastry brush.
2. Sprinkle with sugar. Set on baking sheet lined with parchment.
3. Let stand overnight. Store in a single layer, airtight, at room temperature up to 3 months.
   

The sun is out, and the flowers and plants are really starting to shine - so get out there and take them in! We’ve compiled a list below of community gardens to visit, most of which are free for a relaxing, calming stroll through mother nature’s finest.

Volunteer Park Conservatory

Opened in 1912 (!!), the Conservatory provides ​guests the opportunity to enjoy and learn ​about tropical and desert plants, through its ​combination of living botany museum and ​ever-changing curated artistic presentations ​of plants. Admission is free the 1st Thursday ​and 1st Saturday of the Month, as well as ​garden-guided tours offered the 3rd Tuesday ​of each month.

Kubota Gardens

A hidden gem in Seattle’s Rainier Beach, the Kubota Gardens is open every day of the year from sunrise to sundown, is free to the public, ADA and dog-friendly - and gorgeous.

Bellevue Botanical Garden

Just like Kubota, this gem in Bellevue is ​free, and open year-round - and has has ​become a major center for gardening and ​horticultural activity and is frequently ​recognized as one of the best botanical ​gardens in the nation.

Butterfly Gardens - at the Woodland Park Zoo & Pacific Science Center

Next time you’re at the Zoo or Science Center, be sure to walk through the butterfly exhibit. Both house hundreds of free-flying, gorgeous winged creatures. The Zoo also provides these great how-to’s for creating your own pollinator garden at home.

University of Washington - Greenhouse and Medicinal Herb Garden

Tucked off Stevens Ave, just a bit off the Burke ​Gillman trail, is UW’s Medicinal Herb garden, ​home to about 1,000 plants from around the ​world. Today, purely a display garden, at two ​and a half acres it's one of largest public ​gardens of its kind. The nearby greenhouse is ​also open to the public for casual walk-in ​browsing of four main rooms.

Bloedel Reserve

Worth of a ferry ride to Bainbridge Island, the ​Bloedel Reserve is 140 acres of curated gardens, ​structural features, and distinctive landscapes. ​Opened to the public in 1988, this gorgeous ​spot requires pre-purchased timed tickets for ​entry - more info here.

Sign up for our upcoming events!