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.

An indoor garden features lush, vibrant pink flowering vines creating an archway over a rectangular blue pool, illustrating plants that never grow around pool areas.

Ornamental Gardens

Never Grow These 11 Plants Around Your Pool

Planting around a pool requires careful planning. You want to strike the right balance between beauty, practicality, and maintenance. Join Florida gardener Melissa Strauss to discuss some of the plants that you should never consider when landscaping your pool deck.

Close-up of a dried Zinnia flower with dry, wilting petals surrounding the dense seed head, ready to collect seeds in August.

Seeds

13 Seeds You Should Collect From the Garden in August

Collecting seeds in the fall is a rewarding and cost-effective way to continue growing your favorite plants. It also helps to preserve biodiversity in your garden. Gardening expert Melissa Strauss discusses some plants you can collect from this fall.

A vibrant display of large, rounded flower clusters in shades of purple and blue with green foliage on a thriving shrub that can be planted in August.

Shrubs

15 Shrubs You Can Plant in August

Late summer is a good time for planting shrubs to get them established before the winter cold sets in. Join gardening expert Melissa Strauss to talk about some of the beautiful shrubs that are great for August planting.

A yellow swallow-tailed butterfly rests on giant sunflowers with large yellow petals and dark centers, illustrating seeds to plant now to feed fall butterflies.

Seeds

7 Seeds to Plant Now to Fuel Fall Butterflies

Fall is a vital time for butterflies as they prepare to migrate and hibernate. Pollinator enthusiast Melissa Strauss discusses ways to support them during this vital time and what plants you can choose to provide them with the necessary nutrients.

Gardener’s hands gently plant a young tomato seedling with tender green leaves and sturdy stem into rich garden soil for a fall harvest.

Gardening Tips

When to Plant Fall Tomatoes: Timing and Tips

While tomatoes are usually a spring-planted vegetable, fall planting can be successful, too. It all depends on your climate and timing. Gardening expert Melissa Strauss explains when to plant fall tomatoes, and shares some tips for a successful season.

A close-up shot of a monarch butterfly feeding on nectar of a composition of pink flowers, showcasing late summer pollinator plants

Gardening Tips

15 Essential Pollinator Plants That Boom in August

As the summer comes to an end, pollinators search for sources to provide nourishment for migration and hibernation. By planting these late summer bloomers, we can create a refuge for them in our gardens. Join beekeeper and pollinator enthusiast Melissa Strauss to learn about August bloomers that support pollinators.

A dense cluster of vibrant purple daisy-like flowers, each with a bright yellow center, showcases New England wildflowers.

Flowers

11 Beautiful New England Wildflowers

The beautiful wildflowers of New England offer a colorful and diverse display through the growing season. Gardening expert Melissa Strauss shares some of the hardy plants that support local pollinators and thrive in a variety of habitats from woodlands to coastal areas.