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.

A dense blanket of ground cover plants bloom with tiny clustered flowers in white, deep magenta, and purple among bright green foliage.

Ornamental Gardens

13 Ground Cover Plants That Bloom Profusely

Add tons of beautiful color and pollinator power with flowering groundcovers. These wonderful plants bloom profusely, cheering up the garden and improving the soil, and fostering wildlife. Gardening expert Melissa Strauss shares some of the most floriferous groundcovers for your garden.

Gulf Fritillary butterfly with vivid orange wings and black markings rests on clusters of bright red-orange blooms surrounded by lush green foliage in a Florida butterfly garden.

Gardening Inspiration

What to Plant in a Florida Butterfly Garden

Florida gardens are a hot spot for many species of beautiful butterflies. If you want to encourage them to visit your space, you've got to plant the right things! Join Florida gardener Melissa Strauss to talk about which plants will draw the most butterflies to your garden.

A dense groundcover of bright green succulent leaves topped with magenta-pink daisy-like flowers blooming in a coastal garden.

Flowers

15 Types of Flowers for Coastal Gardens

Planting a garden in a coastal region has its challenges, but there are some wonderful flowers that thrive in this environment. Join Florida gardener Melissa Strauss for some beautiful cultivars that love the beach as much as you do!

A split leaf philodendron in a gray decorative pot with large, glossy, deeply lobed leaves and healthy stems, ready to propagate.

Houseplants

How to Propagate Split-Leaf Philodendron

Split-leaf philodendron is a spectacular tropical plant that makes an excellent and dramatic houseplant. It's also quite easy to propagate if you know what works and what does not. Join houseplant enthusiast Melissa Strauss for step-by-step instructions on propagating your philodendron.

Floral design featuring the best flowers for pressing, including dahlia, chrysanthemum, primula, cosmos, calendula, cherry blossom, and yarrow sprigs, arranged in warm colors.

Ornamental Gardens

The 13 Best Flowers for Pressing

Pressing flowers is a beautiful and simple way to preserve your garden and capture the shapes and colors of the season. Gardening expert Melissa Strauss discusses some of the best blooms in your yard for pressing.