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🌈 Grow Your Own Rainbow: Why Vibrant Harvest Belongs on Every Gardener’s Holiday Wish List

April 14, 2026 0

If you’ve ever dreamed of a vegetable garden that looks as magical as a flower bed, I have the perfect book for you.

You know how some gardens feel like quiet little patches of green? Lovely, but… a little predictable? Well, Sandra Mao (@sandra.urbangarden) wants us to throw out that rulebook and embrace the color! Her brand-new book, Vibrant Harvest: Cultivating a Kaleidoscope of Colors in Your Vegetable Garden with Heirlooms, Modern Hybrids, and More, arriving December 2, is the most joyful gardening guide I’ve read in ages.

It’s part inspiration, part education, and completely gorgeous, a celebration of purple tomatoes, pink beans, magenta potatoes, speckled lettuces, and all the edible wonders that make gardening feel like art.

🌿 A Book That Will Change the Way You Garden

What I love most about Vibrant Harvest is how approachable it is. Sandra doesn’t just tell you what to plant , she shows you how to bring color, creativity, and personality into every inch of your garden, whether you’re working with a raised bed, a few pots on the patio, or an entire backyard plot.

Her mantra says it all:

“Vegetable gardens absolutely don’t have to be boring plots of green!”

Yes, please.

The book is organized into four easy-to-follow sections that take you from dreaming to harvest:

  1. Choose Your Plants – 42 dazzling vegetable profiles, organized by season and edible part (I already have my eye on the purple cauliflower and candy-striped beets).
  2. Plan & Start Your Garden – Site selection, soil prep, seed starting, and transplanting, Sandra walks you through it all.
  3. Care for Your Garden – Watering, feeding, pruning, staking, and trellising, written with the kind of real-life advice only an experienced gardener can give.
  4. Pick, Preserve & Prepare Your Harvest – Smart tips on harvesting, storing, and even cooking your colorful bounty.

It’s the kind of guide that makes you want to run outside, dig your hands into the soil, and start planting something beautiful.

🌸 Why I’m Adding It to My Holiday Gift List

Every year I try to give at least one gift that inspires someone to slow down and reconnect with nature, and Vibrant Harvest is exactly that kind of gift.

It’s perfect for:

  • The friend who’s already planning next spring’s seed order.
  • The foodie who loves photographing their meals (rainbow carrots, anyone?).
  • The eco-lover who believes homegrown always tastes better.
  • Or honestly, yourself, because who couldn’t use a little more color (and joy) right now?

With 150 vivid photos and Sandra’s encouraging voice, it’s a reminder that gardening isn’t just about growing food, it’s about cultivating beauty, creativity, and connection.

🌱 From the Author’s Garden to Yours

Sandra’s own Southern California garden is a year-round rainbow, but what’s wonderful is that her guidance works for gardeners everywhere. Whether you’re in the warm sunshine of the South, the breezy coasts, or the mountain towns like mine here in North Carolina, you’ll find tips that match your growing zone.

And if you’ve ever struggled to keep your garden feeling inspired mid-season, this book will re-ignite that spark. It makes gardening feel like play again, messy, colorful, creative play that fills your kitchen with flavor and your heart with joy.

🌈 Grow Boldly, Eat Brilliantly

Vibrant Harvest reminds us that food can be both nourishing and beautiful, that a tomato can be as stunning as a bouquet, and that growing your own vegetables is one of the simplest ways to bring art into everyday life.

This holiday season, gift a little color, creativity, and inspiration, or keep it for yourself and start planning your most colorful garden yet.

Because why settle for a plain green garden when you can grow a kaleidoscope? 🌿💚

Clever Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint This Summer

April 9, 2021 2

There are many ways to reduce your carbon footprint in the summer months. You can exercise more and use the car less frequently, grow a garden, eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, and conserve energy using energy-saving devices. Below are some specific ideas of how your and your family can reduce your carbon footprint this season.

Try a New Mode Of Transportation

Just one gallon of gasoline emits tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Cut down on using your car this summer and walk and bike in your neighborhood instead. Think about walking to the mailbox instead of driving to the local post office to mail letters. When you drive somewhere and park, walk an extra few blocks rather than drive around to nearby destinations. You do not have to park as close as possible. Consider using the bus for local transportation, as choosing public transit can reduce the number of other vehicles on the street. There are over 6 million car accidents in the United States yearly, partially due to overcrowded roads. Choose local parks and trails in your state and walk and hike locally or enjoy taking a stroll around the block instead of a nightly drive to clear your head.

Not only do cars come with harmful emissions, but they can also be expensive to maintain. Around 96% of Subarus sold during the past decade are still on the road, which means many drivers may also have to deal with expensive vehicle maintenance to keep their cars operable. You can cut down on necessary repairs by ditching your car for a bike this summer whenever possible. Biking is a great way to exercise or get from point A to point B. If you live close to where you work, walking or biking to work in good weather can be a great way to burn calories, shed a sedentary lifestyle, and reduce your environmental impact. You can bike or walk in parks, local college campuses, the neighborhood, or in the heart of the city. Don’t forget to learn the safety rules and follow them when biking or walking. Walk and bike to places a few miles near your home to start; you might find you love it so much that you try not to take the car if you don’t have to!

Plan a Garden Or Grow Plants in Pots

Plant a garden this year and start growing some herbs and vegetables. Go to a local garden center and purchase native flowers, vegetables, and herbs. You should also stop using chemical pesticides and buy organic pesticides made from natural ingredients (or make your own at home!). While Oklahoma has over 540 common pests, they can be kept out of your garden in ways that won’t harm the surrounding environment if you stick to natural pesticides and insecticides. Your garden center can tell you how to care for the plants you buy. Buy plants for the deck or patio if you don’t have the time to care for a garden. You can use the vegetables and herbs you grow when cooking. This can help you reduce the environmental impact associated with purchasing groceries that come from far-away farms. You might even consider collecting water in a rain barrel to use to water the lawn and your plants at home, thus saving water!

Use a Programmable Thermostat and Fans to Reduce Energy Consumption

Installing a programmable thermostat will help you save on your electric bill when cooling the house. This handy device can increase or decrease the temperature, even when you’re not at home. Other ways to cool the house include closing the shutters, blinds, and shades during the day. You can also use a fan instead of an air conditioner or to supplement your AC. You might even think about switching to a green energy plan powered by renewable energy. Remember to unplug appliances you’re not using and cook on the outdoor grill instead of using the oven to reduce your overall energy consumption and to keep your home more comfortable throughout the hotter months.

Eat Local and Reduce Meat Consumption

This summer, shop at your local farmers’ market where they sell local produce grown in your region. You should always aim to buy seasonal produce, as it is less expensive and can be transported in a more environmentally-friendly way. You can always prepare your vegetables in large batches and freeze for later use to reduce waste. Find some new recipes for vegetable, fruit, and pasta salads or soups and try them out this summer. Be sure to try some new fruits and vegetables you have never eaten before every week. You can also reduce meat consumption in your diet, as the meat industry can be incredibly harmful to the environment.

These tips will help you reduce your carbon footprint and help you find a way to promote green and natural living in the warmer months.

7 Easy Ways to Adopt a More Eco-Friendly Lifestyle

November 2, 2017 2

Although everyone celebrates Earth Day on April 22, there are so many opportunities to help “keep it green” all year-round! For those who want to adopt an eco-friendlier attitude throughout the year, there is more you can do than just recycling cans and plastic bottles. You can adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle and attitude.

The benefit of adopting an eco-friendly attitude is not just related to conserving resources and the environment. In fact, the therapeutic and preventative effects of eco-friendly choices can be reflected in human health. Humans who eat organic meat and pesticide-free vegetables, for example, avoid ingesting harmful chemicals and hormones that interfere with the body’s natural ability to digest and process food. However, an organic diet is not the only path to a healthy, eco-friendly lifestyle. By following some of these tips below, you can help conserve the Earth’s natural resources, positively improve your health, and maybe even save a little money as well.

#1: Adopt a Natural Cosmetic Routine
There are so many chemicals that go into the average cosmetic product. By using natural products, you will be reducing the chemicals that you are putting on your skin, and eventually into the Earth. You can also adopt green habits by purchasing fewer beauty products in general, and by looking for products with two-in-one capabilities, for example, a conditioning shampoo. Why use two plastic bottles when one will do?

#2: Exchange Traditional Eyewear for Laser Surgery
Laser eye surgery has gone from being a luxury to a common and reliable procedure that makes glasses and contact lenses a thing of the past. Laser surgery corrects the cornea, so light falls accurately on the retina. By exchange your eyewear for laser surgery, you will be saving the materials necessary to make the glasses or contacts, as well as the fluid needed to clean them on a daily or monthly basis. If you need advice on the advantages of exchanging conventional contact lenses with surgery, you can find Lasik consultations in Minneapolis and many other states across the country.

#3: Eat in Season
Although most fruits and vegetables are now available year-round in the average grocery store, you can usually spot the ones that are in season. They are the juiciest, most delicious looking ones in the store. Eating vegetables that are grown in the appropriate season reduces the likelihood of ingesting harmful preservatives that are used to keep produce fresh during long distance travel. And not only that, seasonal produce usually tastes way better too!

#4: Exchange Cotton for Bamboo
Cotton is probably one of the most used fabrics on Earth but to grow it, you need a huge amount of water. There is an alternative to using cotton, however. Bamboo can be used to create an incredibly soft fabric that is fast becoming a popular choice for bedsheets and pillow cases. Bamboo is not only soft and requires less water to grow, it also absorbs moisture from the skin, in addition to removing harmful bacteria.

#5: Exercise Outside
Have you ever had a gym membership that you never used? Gym memberships can be costly to the consumer and, in addition, use up an inordinate amount of electricity operating treadmills day and night. Walking, running, or biking outside is free, uses no electricity, and it exposes the participant to a much needed dose of Vitamin D.

#6: Use Your Slow Cooker
Slow cookers can be a huge time-saver. Simply throw some ingredients into the slow cooker before work in the morning and you can come home to an absolutely delicious meal. Using a slow cooker offers many eco-friendly benefits as well. Cooking with an oven can generate a lot of heat. As slow cookers use less far less heat than conventional ovens, using one can help keep the kitchen cool, reducing the burden on your air conditioner. Slow cookers also use about the same amount of energy as the average lightbulb, so they can even save you money on your power bill!

#7: Limit the Amount of Tech Time
Watching television and using the computer, in addition to texting on cell phones, can consume an inordinate amount of time and electricity daily. By limiting the amount of time spent using these gadgets, you will not only save money, but you will also have more opportunities to interact with other humans. Another eco-friendly tip, many of these devices (like televisions) consume power even when they aren’t turned on. Investing in a power bar with a timer can shut off the power at the source at a predetermined time of night, then turn the flow back on in the morning.

All of these behaviors are simple ones that do not require a lot of money to adopt. By changing actions that can become toxic over time, or by adopting habits that allow reconnection with nature and other humans, you will be doing your part to save the Earth. And in the end, more than just the Earth will thank you. Your body will too!