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6 days ago | 
epicgardening.com | Melissa Strauss
Gardening Inspiration With pollinator populations declining rapidly, it's more important than ever to create habitats where these creatures can thrive and reproduce. Join beekeeper and gardener Melissa Strauss to learn about some excellent plants that can help support pollinators in the Southeast. Pollinators are important—there’s simply no getting around it. As gardeners, we know just how important these insects and animals are to our food supply and to our flowers as well.
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6 days ago | 
epicgardening.com | Melissa Strauss
Flowers 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. Don’t tell my honeybees, but bumblebees are my favorite. Perhaps it’s because I’ve never been stung by one. Maybe it’s those adorable, fluffy bodies that move slowly enough to truly observe them in action.
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1 week ago | 
epicgardening.com | Melissa Strauss |Sarah Jay
If you’ve been looking for a good reason to get your kids out in the garden, Earth Day is coming up. It’s a great time to give them hands-on lessons and teach them about environmental issues and the importance of sustainability. What better way is there to teach young people about biodiversity and creating a thriving ecosystem than to work on creating one in your own yard?
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1 week ago | 
epicgardening.com | Melissa Strauss |Sarah Jay
Fruits Spring is the perfect time for planting fruit trees. With so many varieties, it can get overwhelming to choose! Here are some of our favorites that are easy to grow and fabulous for beginners. When I moved into my forever home 10 years ago, it was a delight to find a mature Meyer lemon tree on our property.
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1 week ago | 
epicgardening.com | Melissa Strauss |Sarah Jay
This hardy, low-maintenance plant can be grown in just about any well-drained soil. Sturdy, straight stems with feathery, finely-cut leaves are topped with large, long-lasting flower clusters in shades of red, rose, pink, yellow, and white. They make wonderful cut flowers, and what’s left in the garden will attract beneficial insects. Buy at Botanical Interests
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1 week ago | 
epicgardening.com | Melissa Strauss |Sarah Jay
Shrubs 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. Climbing rose varieties tend to be big bloomers that are easy to grow and care for in containers.
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1 week ago | 
epicgardening.com | Melissa Strauss
From the delicate dwarf crested to the spectacular bearded, irises are charming and fanciful. Their unique and distinct flower forms make them easy to recognize, and if you’re willing to snip a few stems, they make incredible additions to cut flower arrangements. In the garden, they are tall, stately, colorful additions to your flower beds. There is a wide range of species and flower shapes and sizes, primarily blooming in spring and early summer.
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1 week ago | 
epicgardening.com | Melissa Strauss
Flowers If you want to add drama to your flower beds, nothing does it quite as opulently as the bearded iris. Join gardening expert Melissa Strauss to admire the ruffles and frills of some of our favorite showy varieties. The words “showy” and bearded iris go hand in hand in the garden. These flamboyant flowers are not only easy to grow but also leave a lasting impression with their fancy forms and stunning color combinations. These flowers, in general, have an interesting history.
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1 week ago | 
epicgardening.com | Melissa Strauss |Sarah Jay
Flowers Selecting flowers for the cutting garden is fun and exciting. There are endless options! Join cut flower gardener Melissa Strauss for some incredible focal point flowers for your floral arrangements. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just getting started, one of the most exciting parts of any project is selecting the plants you will grow. When it comes to the cutting garden, there are so many beautiful flowers with long, strong stems in a wide range of colors and forms.
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1 week ago | 
epicgardening.com | Melissa Strauss |Sarah Jay
Flowers Tulips are among the most popular spring flowers in the garden and floristry. Learn how and when to cut them for the longest-lasting blooms. Gardening expert Melissa Strauss explains how to extend your tulips' vase life. Tulips are wonderful flowers with a long and storied history. They were first cultivated between the 10th and 12th centuries. Their frequent depictions in art and other cultural artifacts tell us that they were a significant symbol during the Ottoman Empire.
