Grow with Vibrant Rainbow Gardens
Welcome to Grow with Vibrant Rainbow Gardens—the podcast for busy, big-hearted gardeners in Houston and beyond who want to grow more food, more beauty, and more joy… without the stress.
I’m Vandhana Ramamoorthy—garden coach, permaculture enthusiast, and the voice behind Vibrant Rainbow Gardens. Every week, I’ll bring you practical tips, seasonal planting advice, and a little garden magic to help you build a thriving, low-fuss garden that actually fits your real life.
Whether you're growing in raised beds, containers, or the front yard, you’ll learn:
- What to plant (and when!) in our unique Gulf Coast climate
- How to grow organically and sustainably, even if you're short on time
- Ways to make gardening a joyful part of your family’s routine
If you’ve ever said, “I want a garden, but I don’t know where to start,” this podcast is for you.
Grab your coffee—or your compost—and let’s dig in together.
Grow with Vibrant Rainbow Gardens
Gratitude in the Garden: Reflecting on a Year of Growing Food
In this cozy Thanksgiving-week episode of Grow with Vibrant Rainbow Gardens, Vandhana shares three heartfelt garden blessings from her year — joyful moments planting with her kids, peaceful morning coffee walks through her Houston garden, and the unexpected gift of community and connection.
You’ll hear beginner-friendly encouragement, simple seasonal lessons, and inspiration for anyone wanting to start a garden in Texas or any warm climate.
Vandhana also shares a handful of gardening tools and supplies she genuinely loved using this year — including her Vego metal raised beds, Hori Hori knife, Epic Gardening seed-starting supplies, and Vego’s new composting options. These are the real tools that supported her own family garden and can help beginners grow with more confidence in the coming year.
Whether you’re a new gardener, a busy parent, or someone craving a slow, intentional moment during the holiday rush, this episode invites you to pause, breathe, and rediscover the simple joy of growing.
Keywords: Houston gardening, Texas gardening for beginners, Thanksgiving gardening podcast, Vego metal raised beds, beginner gardening tips, family gardening ideas, Epic Gardening tools, organic garden setup, gardening inspiration, gardening community, garden rituals.
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This Thanksgiving week, instead of getting swept up in the rush of sales and holiday to dos, I've been craving a moment to slow down, a moment to look back at the quiet little gifts my garden handed me this year. The moments that grounded me, surprised me, and reminded me why I love growing food in the first place. Hey Vibrant Gardeners. Welcome back to Grow With Vibrant Rainbow Gardens. Whether you're listening while cooking, traveling, sneaking in a walk, or taking a few peaceful minutes to yourself, I'm so glad you're here. Thanksgiving always nudges me to look back, not at the big achievements, but at the small meaningful moments. So today I'm sharing three garden blessings from my year. Moments that made me pause, breathe, and feel grateful. And because this episode is dropping on Black Friday, I'll also gently share a short list of gardening tools I genuinely loved. Not in a salesy way, but in these truly supported me this year. One of my favorite memories from this fall was planting in the garden with my kids. They kept getting distracted in the most adorable ways possible, following bees, marveling at the butterflies, chomping on basils right off the plant, and taking pictures of everything like tiny garden reporters. It was not organized, it was not even a little bit efficient, but it was joyful, very messy and very present. And it reminded me why I'd love gardening with my family. A tiny lesson for you. Moving on to number two. A blessing I didn't even realize I needed this year has been the simple ritual of walking the length of my garden every single morning with a cup of coffee in hand. There's no goals, no pressure. I'm not even checking on things. I'm being very mindful about not checking on my things. Just a quiet walk. Those few minutes reset my whole nervous system. The sunlight, that early vitamin D, the fresh air, the bees, butterflies already busy with their own morning routines. It all grounds me. It becomes my reminder that growth doesn't have to be loud or fast. Sometimes the most meaningful progress happens when we slow down enough to notice it. A tiny lesson for you. You don't need hearts in the garden to feel connected. Even five slow minutes can shift your whole day. This year I've been blessed with so many beautiful connections through workshops, consultations, community events, and conversations with gardeners just beginning their journey. Every question, every excited message about the first tomato, every shared photo of a tiny sprout, they all fill my cup. It's reminded me that gardening is never a solo act. We grow because we are connected to each other, to the soil, to the rhythms of nature. A small lesson for you. Speaking of blessings, I know today is Black Friday, and while most people are thinking about doorbursters and discount codes, I've been thinking about something a little different. Instead of buying more, I've been reflecting on what truly supported me in the garden this year, the tools and the simple things that genuinely made my gardening easier, calmer, and more joyful. Not the flashy gadgets, not the must-haves that overwhelmed all the beginners, just the handful of things that helped me create moments like the ones I just shared. So in the spirit of gratitude, and because it's Black Friday, I want to share the few gardening tools I really love this year. In case you're dreaming of starting your own garden next season or gently growing the one you already have. These are the things I actually reach for the most, the ones that supported my garden. My hori hori knife. My everyday planting companion. Simple, sturdy, and truly one of the most used tools every single season. I only have two. I am strongly thinking of just getting two more just so that I can always have it at hand's length. The trees and tools take so much guesswork out of seed starting. Now my favorite Vigo rolling planters. These are honestly some of my favorites. I have about four to six. I just added two more. These are perfect for citrus and anything you want to move during extreme weather events. They make heavy parts feel light, truly sanity savor in Houston. Vigo metal race beds, one of the best upgrades I made this year. Beautiful study, such a gyta plantain. They are what made those family moments feel effortless. My um Vigo Composter. All my affiliate links are in the show notes if you want to explore absolutely no pressure at all. Please buy one leaf. It's something you've been already thinking about. Even without buying a thing, your garden will still grow beautifully. Big or tiny, funny or heartfelt. Come share inside the groove with Vibrant Rainbow Gardens Facebook. I'll be reading every single one of them and I really look forward to reading those.