Juice the lemons: Cut lemons in half and squeeze until you have about 1 cup fresh lemon juice. Strain out seeds if needed.
Dissolve the sugar: In a pitcher, stir ½ to ¾ cup sugar with 1 cup warm water until fully dissolved. Add the remaining cold water.
Add fruit and herbs: Add hulled strawberries and fresh basil leaves to the pitcher.
Blend briefly: Blend for 15–20 seconds, just until the drink turns pink and the basil is finely chopped.
Strain if desired: Pour through a fine mesh strainer for smooth lemonade, or leave it unstrained for a more rustic texture.
Chill and serve: Chill for at least 30 minutes. Serve over ice with lemon slices, strawberries, and basil. Add sparkling water right before serving if desired.
