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Garden Rose Cordial How-To

Updated: May 7

Garden Rose Cordial is the perfect balance of floral and sweet. It captures the rose essence so well and allows for the continued enjoyment of those Spring blooms long after the season ends.


Cordial has become a Spring staple on my Homestead. Using both foraged and garden grown flowers for various floral ferment has really given me the opportunity to immerse myself in the season by paying attention to the various bloom cycles.


Cordial is so simple to make and such a unique-to-you, seasonal drink that can't be purchased elsewhere. I hope you'll feel inspired and try your hand at making Garden Rose Cordial!

*Please note that I will earn commissions for any items purchased from my amazon affiliate account*


To start your Garden Rose Cordial, you will need the following:


Half gallon mason jar

1 Breathable cover for your jar- kitchen towel, cheese cloth or ferment lids 4 cups rose petals 8 cups water 4 cups sugar 1 cup lemon juice

Strainer Funnel

Pop-top bottles or additional mason jars with lids


First you will need to collect your 4 cups of unwashed rose petals and put those in a clean, and sterilized mason jar. My favorite rose for this is Autumn Damask, it's a once blooming variety that pushes out hundreds of blooms over the span of about 4 weeks. They are incredibly fragrant, and being they are so prolific, it's easy to collect 4 cups.


Be sure you are using petals from a no-spray or systemically treated garden to avoid accidentally ingesting any insecticide or fungicide.





Then you need to heat your water and add your sugar. You don't need to boil the water, but do need to get it hot enough for the sugar to dissolve fully. Once your sugar has dissolved, you can then pour the water/sugar mixture over your petals. Give the mixture a good stir.

Next you add your cup of lemon juice, stirring once again. Once everything has been incorporated, you can set your jar on your counter or in a cabinet where it won't get direct sunlight. Add your breathable cover and then all that is left to do is wait.


You'll want to stir your Garden Rose Cordial twice a day, and as the days pass, you'll soon see your mixture has started the fermentation process with bubbles rising to the top as you stir. The cordial is made from the naturally occurring yeast on your rose petals. As the fermentation process continues the yeast will consume much of the sugar added to your cordial.




Start taste testing your Garden Rose Cordial at about one week. Generally your cordial will be finished in one to two weeks. As soon as your cordial is to your liking, you will want to strain out the flowers, being sure to squeeze all the liquid from them and then pour the finished product into pop-top jars or a mason jar with a lid. A funnel is not necessary, but helpful if you want to use pop-top jars. Put them in the fridge to halt the fermentation process.



A great way to enjoy your Garden Rose Cordial is by adding it to plain seltzer water at about a 50/50 ratio or use it in craft cocktails. It's a special drink that is unique to your flowers and process. Enjoy!

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