Verdun & Hawkins Garden: Florida, USA

Paradise is in Southwest Florida!

A road trip to Florida to visit my family is always a delight, especially during the mango season when the trees are loaded, and the fruits are ripe for the picking. The garden boasts at least seven varieties of mango trees, including my favorites Carrie, Grated, Haitian, Kent, and Ice cream. I love getting up early to gather mangoes that had fallen to the ground during the night.

Beautiful golden and purple allamanda flowers in the front yard hug the fence, hibiscus flowers take a bow, and purple periwinkle lounged in the corner.

I scanned the lychee tree for fruits that had long gone. Luckily, my parents saved some fruits from this year’s crop in the freezer.

To the left of the garden are soursop trees, lemon trees, pineapple, and sugar cane.

There are a variety of flowers, including orchids, zinnias, gladioli, irises, amaryllis, and bromeliads.

One of the highlights of the garden is the culinary and medicinal herbs. A warm cup of mint or soursop leaves tea before bedtime is just what the doctor ordered. Stepping out to the backyard to harvest fresh herbs and vegetables for a meal is divine.

Paradise is in my family’s garden, where tropical plants, fruits, flowers, herbs, vegetables, butterflies, bees, and birds abound. The perfect spot to linger and relax in the morning while enjoying some fruit and watching the birds.

It is always said to say goodbye, but I never leave empty-handed. From this trip, I went with cherished memories, a soursop plant, sugar cane, soursops, and lots of juicy mangoes to keep me until my next visit to paradise.