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.

The beautiful Australian Orchard Swallowtail butterfly flutters around vibrant annual flowers, feeding on the nectar of Pentas blooms with its delicate wings shimmering in the sunlight.

Flowers

13 Annual Flowers Butterflies Love

Calling all pollinator gardeners! The butterflies are back and looking for sweet nectar to fuel their fluttering. Pollinator gardener Melissa Strauss talks about some beautiful, low-maintenance annuals that will make those butterflies flock to your garden.

Best flowers for bumblebees. Close-up of a fuzzy bumblebee with yellow and black stripes rests on an Aster flower, collecting nectar.

Flowers

15 Best Flowers to Grow for Bumblebees

Bring the bustle of bumblebees to your garden with plants that provide a bounty of nectar and pollen. Beekeeper and pollinator enthusiast, Melissa Strauss knows what to plant to attract those fuzzy bees.

A tall, green plant with multiple bright red blooms grows against a beige wall, supported by a wooden trellis.

Shrubs

7 Tips for Growing Climbing Roses in Pots and Containers

You don't have to have tons of space to grow climbing roses. Many of them grow well in containers, so you can grow them in smaller spaces and on patios, too! Gardening expert Melissa Strauss has some tips on successfully growing climbers and ramblers in containers.