Late July with hyssop

...a drink to hack cosmos by. My cosmos in some roof-pots had grown very tall, and the pots were threatening to tip, which is Not Good. Also, no buds in sight...

So to gird my loins for this evening's cutting back and taking out what has taken months to grow from seed, I needed some liquid courage. With a terrace this small, if it ain't working, it's got to go.

Inspired by the herbal challenge of Summer Fest 2009, I put together a rather yummy drink:

Bottle Green's elderflower cordial was waiting in the fridge. Made in England, the syrup is delicious beyond speech. And the Agastache "Black Adder" aka hyssop (here is a case of the plant's common name being that much more beautiful than the botanical) was looking very pretty in blue and smelling very minty.

Hyssoptini

3oz  Bombay Sapphire gin
1 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce elderflower cordial
3 hyssop leaves and stripped flowers form one stem

Shake up everything except the seltzer with lots of ice, strain, drink. Cut something back in the garden, on the fire escape, roof, in the woods, alley, lot...wherever you grow things.