Raleigh Barnes is a lifelong gardener who’s been planting since a child with his father, mother and sister. He’s had the privilege of growing in Texas, Hawaii, Costa Rica and mostly subtropical Florida. Raleigh is a dynamic gardener whose organic principles stretch far beyond that of industry standards. He incorporates permaculture, organic gardening, native gardening, and agroforestry, and has a knack for epiphytic plants. He is the past Vice President of the Tampa Orchid club, active member of the Sarasota Bromeliad Society and the Riverview Garden Club. In 2017 Raleigh created the Apollo Beach Garden Club non-profit located in the South Shore area of Tampa Bay to create a space for residents to experience the joy of gardening. Raleigh created a community forest garden at the Apollo Beach Recreation Center where the club hosts their monthly meeting. Many volunteers helped create this one-of-a-kind garden, and the club and garden have grown into a local staple.

Raleigh also created his highly successful business, Third Insight Design and Nursery, focusing on growing and propagating subtropical edible or otherwise useful plants as well as saving heritage fruit tree genetics. Raleigh completed his Permaculture Design Course in 2018 in Costa Rica, where he met his wife. They plan to return to Costa Rica to start their own off-grid farm and education center, continuing to practice their love of tropical plants and sharing them with the world.