Cool weather gardening offers a tremendous variety of vegetables. A few minutes harvesting in our garden yielded cabbage, lettuce, parsley, kale, kohlrabi, fava beans, onions, chard, and fennel bulb.
Roselle or Florida Cranberry
Related to okra, cotton, and hibiscus roselle is a real attention-getter in our garden. It loves our hot summers whether rainy or dry. The bright red fleshy “fruit” resembles cranberry in flavor and can be used to make jams, jellies, teas, and chutneys. The leaves are also edible and the beautiful flowers attract hummingbirds.
Milk Thistle
I really love this plant. It’s beautiful and huge compared to other plants that grow in the cooler seasons. The pattern of glossy green and white is fascinating. But beware the prickly leaves! This is not a plant you want to put next to a path (unless you don’t want anyone actually using the path)!
Milk thistle is related to other thistles, artichokes, and cardoon as well as lettuces and sunflowers.