If you’ve ever sipped a ruby-red hibiscus tea, you’ve probably already met the roselle plant without realizing it. Known botanically as Hibiscus sabdariffa, roselle is a tropical annual loved for its tart, cranberry-like flavor and gorgeous crimson calyxes. Easy to grow in warm climates, it’s both a stunning garden plant and a versatile ingredient in the kitchen.
If you’ve ever wandered through a Florida farmers’ market in autumn, you may have spotted a tan-skinned pumpkin shaped a bit like a butternut squash but rounder and more whimsical. Meet the Seminole pumpkin, a variety cherished for centuries by the Seminole and Miccosukee peoples and perfectly suited to the subtropical climate of the Southeast.
More than 90% of insects in your garden are either beneficial or harmless according to University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
The hottest months of the year don’t have to mean an empty garden.
The “sponge” you see in spas and shower caddies isn’t from the ocean at all. It comes from the loofah plant (also spelled luffa and sometimes loofa), a climbing gourd in the cucumber family. With a little patience and the right growing season, you can harvest your very own natural loofah—straight from the garden.
When we started the garden, we didn’t really know what to expect. We knew there’d be dirt, bugs and heat. What we didn’t expect is the ironic peace that comes with toiling in the soil.
Planting more than just a garden—you're planting possibility.
Crunchy, sweet, and packed with personality.
We’ve all watched a child turn up their nose at a perfectly roasted carrot or a juicy cherry tomato. And honestly? We get it. If we struggle getting our daily dose of vegetables as adults, how much harder must it be for kids!
Eating our daily recommended dose of vegetables isn’t always easy - we get it! There are plenty of other food choices out there we tend to gravitate towards, whether they’re easier, more convenient, or just plain tastier. But if there’s anything we’ve learned it’s that adding more fresh vegetables to our meals is worth it. We feel better, have more energy and see our health improve.
As folks who grow and pick food, we want to see food eaten, not tossed. And we know you do, too! You’ve probably experienced it before: fill up your basket with vibrant veggies and the best intentions only to find your fresh produce, wilted, moldy and rotting.
When we started Back to the Garden Jax, we honestly didn’t know a shovel from a spade. We were regular folks—busy schedules, little free time, zero gardening experience. But something was calling us back to the dirt. Back to the roots. Back to something real.
