Vegetable gardens certainly do NOT provide a “finished appearance” in terms of landscaping, and are essentially unfinished most of the year.
He should fight to change the code.
With that argument, one could say grass lawns are unfinished, as well. You either have to maintain them (water, mow, edge, fertilize), or let them die. Same as a garden. And in Orlando, I'd bet growing season could almost be year-round.