Posts By

Melissa Strauss

Melissa is a writer, hobby gardener, beekeeper and homemaker. She can be found working in her extensive pollinator garden, trolling the local nurseries for unique plant specimens, and tending to the many fruit-bearing plants on her property. Melissa hopes to inspire other gardeners to delve into the rich and fulfilling world of pollinator gardening.

Close-up of a berry bush with hanging clusters of small, glossy red berries hang from thin, woody stems, surrounded by lobed, vibrant green leaves with serrated edges, planted in spring.

Fruits

11 Berry Bushes You Can Plant in Early Spring

If you need more sweet and delicious fruit in your life, berry bushes are a fast way to make that happen. Gardening expert Melissa Strauss shares some spring-planted shrubs that produce the sweetest, juiciest fruits around!

Close-up of flowering weeds that are good for the garden, with delicate green stems supporting clusters of trifoliate leaves with rounded, slightly notched leaflets and small, spherical flower heads in white hues.

Weeds

7 Weeds That Are Actually Good for Your Garden

Pulling weeds isn't usually a fun part of gardening. We have good news about some of those plants you might be plucking out. Gardening expert Melissa Strauss focuses on some beneficial plants that we commonly consider to be a nuisance.

Deep burgundy Scabiosa ‘Black Knight’ with clustered florets and slender green stems.

Flowers

21 Heirloom Flower Seeds to Sow in March

Heirloom plants have beautiful historical value and stand up well to what nature throws their way. Gardening expert Melissa Strauss shares a variety of seeds that you can sow this March for flowers all summer.

Blooming Parrot tulips feature vibrant, ruffled petals in shades of orange with deep purple streaks unfurl atop sturdy green stems, surrounded by long, gracefully arching green leaves.

Bulbs

How to Plant, Grow, and Care For Parrot Tulips

In the early spring garden, tulips shine alongside the daffodils and the hyacinths. Among the many types, parrot tulips stand out as the most showy and spectacular. Join gardening expert Melissa Strauss to learn about growing these striking spring bloomers.