Sheena Patterson of Oxford Garden Design enjoys a Mother's Day treat

The shops are full of ideas for presents for that most treasured of creatures – the mother.

My three daughters know that, of course, I always love flowers but they also know that something alcoholic is bound to be a winner.

Last weekend Clare (daughter number two) and I found the perfect combination at the top of the London Shard.

Cocktails in hand, the panoramic views were wonderful with the feast for the eyes made more glorious by the treat for my tastebuds. The passion fruit concoction topped with a sprig of fresh lemon thyme was a truly delicious amalgamation of a garden based drink – and the perfect present for me.

As a mother, I take my duty to embarrass my children on every conceivable occasion excruciatingly seriously. So it wasn’t long before I was chatting up the rather charming young barman to find out more about cocktail recipes.

I gather that daughter number two is no stranger to bars, and, apparently it’s “not cool” for middle-aged garden designers to discuss the use of herbs in drinks with young men.

But in the interests of reporting back to the Oxford Mail readers, I ploughed on regardless of the hostile glares from my beloved middle child.

For 200 years, the imagination and experimentation of countless bartenders, and relentless hard graft from the imbibers, has driven forward the craft of the cocktail. And apparently what’s happening these days is that we’re borrowing from the kitchen and garden, not just techniques, but ingredients too.

According to my informant, it’s down to “mixology” and important that the taster’s perception should be mixed for a well-balanced drink. My new best friend (the mixologist at the Shard) showed me the plethora of herbs they use as ingenious cocktail ingredients, many of which are easy to grow in English gardens.

Mint is an obvious example. So easy to grow, that it’s almost a weed. Keeping it in a container will stop it spreading and you can have a ready supply for use in drinks such as Pimm’s cup, the Chuke (vodka based), Mojito (rum based) Leninade (Russian at a guess) or Lillet Sin, made with mint, lime, fresh ginger root and club soda. Nothing too sinful about that one is there?

Rosemary is another easy to grow herb that can be used with blackberries and white sparkling wine for a great combination of flavours.

Or a Rosemary Ruby cocktail might float your or your mother’s boat – vodka, grapefruit juice and bitters. Basil is apparently turning up in many garden-inspired cocktails these days.

Although, unless we have an exceptionally hot summer, it’s not easy to grow outside in Oxfordshire.

But it is quite happy on a sunny window sill. Basil’s savoury, sweet, peppery flavour combines well with gin, pineapple juice, lime and club soda.

There’s even a cocktail called A Walk In The Garden with gin, fennel and celery. After a couple it would be more of a stagger – and dare I say, this mother’s ruin?