Escario Botanical Garden

Jackfruit jam already tastes like sunshine in a spoon. Add ginger, and it becomes something brighter, warmer, and far more interesting than the usual fruit spread. Ripe jackfruit has a honey-like sweetness with notes that can remind people of banana, mango, pineapple, or bubblegum, depending on the variety. Ginger brings gentle heat, citrusy sharpness, and a clean aroma that keeps the jam from tasting flat. Together, they make a tropical spread that works on pandesal, toast, crackers,...

A roasted Hatch chile can fill a kitchen with the kind of aroma that makes people stop mid-conversation. It smells smoky, grassy, a little sweet, and a little wild. That scent is part of the reason these New Mexico peppers have built such a devoted following and you can find them in our garden. Hatch chile peppers are not just another hot pepper. They have a food culture that is celebrated. Fresh, fire-roasted, chopped into stew, folded into eggs, or layered into burgers, they bring flavour...

Cut open a ripe passion fruit and it looks like a tiny bowl of gold: glossy pulp, crunchy black seeds, and a sharp tropical scent that can lift a drink, dessert, or sauce in seconds. The plant is just as striking. It climbs fast, flowers dramatically, and can turn a simple fence or trellis into a productive garden feature. Passion fruit is a good fit for many warm-climate gardens, including parts of the Philippines, as long as it gets sun, drainage, support, and regular care. It is not a...