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.

Frost-kissed pansies display vibrant petals in hues of purple, yellow, and white, their edges rimmed with delicate ice crystals against a backdrop of wintry foliage.

Flowers

How to Overwinter Pansies in 7 Steps

Pansies are cool-season favorites that are surprisingly cold-tolerant. We have some tips to keep these frost-proof plants going through the winter so they can spring to life when temperatures rise. Join gardening expert Melissa Strauss for some tips to overwinter your pansies.

A field of bright yellow Daffodils with trumpet-shaped flowers and long, slender green leaves, basking in sunlight under the shade of bare trees in early spring.

Bulbs

19 Bulbs to Plant in Drifts for Impressive Color

If you've ever admired a swath of tulips running through a gorgeous spring garden, you might need a drift of your own! Join gardening expert Melissa Strauss for some ideas on the best bulbs to choose for your own colorful drift.

Dahlia tubers stored in a black plastic container in an autumn garden, prepared for overwintering.

Flowers

7 Dahlia Tuber Storage Problems to Avoid This Year

There is an art to storing dahlia tubers that keeps them healthy and ready to spring back into action when the weather warms up. Join gardening expert Melissa Strauss to uncover some mistakes you can avoid to keep your bulbs fresh and maintain their dormancy until spring.

Delicate white stalks resembling translucent candles rise from the ground, each topped with small, black-tipped flowers. The soft, almost ghostly appearance contrasts with the earthy surroundings of dry leaves and muted greens.

Ornamental Gardens

21 Spooky Plants Perfect for Halloween

It's spooky season, and it's time to decorate for that most gruesome of holidays: Halloween. If you want to get your garden in creepy condition, we've got you covered. Gardening expert Melissa Strauss has scared up some of the spookiest plants around!