Introduction

About a year ago, we befriended Melanie, better known as Melli aus dem Garten (Melli from the Garden) first on TikTok, then on Instagram. What immediately connected us was a shared love of organic gardening and the quiet, everyday rituals that come with it. Since then, we’ve watched her reach grow at remarkable speed. Today, Melli is one of the most influential voices in the German gardening community, appreciated especially for her thoughtful approach to organic, seasonal growing—and for her ability to share knowledge in a way that feels both accessible and deeply personal.

This conversation marks the beginning of a new interview series on the Heirbloom blog. We’ll be speaking with gardeners whose work, values, and perspectives meaningfully shape how others garden. Rather than chasing short-lived trends or quick fixes, these conversations focus on the people behind the gardens—how they think, how they learn, and why their gardens matter so much to them.

As part of this interview, we’re also delighted to announce a special collaboration with Melli: a curated garden set she’s put together with the same care and intention she brings to her own garden. We wanted to understand not just what she chose, but why.

 

I. The Gardener

Before we talk about techniques, social media, or recommendations, we’d love to get to know the person behind the garden. Tell us a bit about yourself. Where do you garden, and how have your personal story, culture, and values shaped the way you garden and the plants you choose?

I started growing vegetables many years ago on a small rooftop terrace right in the middle of the city. I built a functional raised bed out of decking boards and began gardening on a very small scale. Over time, more and more pots and containers followed. At one point, I was even growing potatoes in planting bags on the fourth floor. Carrying soil upstairs without a lift was a serious workout every time.

Even back then, my husband and I were looking for a house in the countryside. We both felt drawn to rural life. Since childhood, I’d dreamed of living in the country—ideally on a farm with lots of animals. It didn’t end up being a farm, but rather a house with a large plot in the Eifel. That’s where we live today, surrounded by nature and living very much in rhythm with the seasons.

My earliest gardening memory is picking runner beans in my grandparents’ allotment. I grew up without grandparents for most of my life, but the few memories I do have of them often take place there. My mother didn’t have a vegetable garden herself, but as long as I can remember, she’s fermented vegetables, preserved gherkins, and made food last. That mindful, appreciative relationship with food shaped me early on and still influences me today.

"It didn’t end up being a farm, but rather a house with a large plot in the Eifel... surrounded by nature and living very much in rhythm with the seasons."

 

When you spend time in a garden, you start to notice recurring details—things that feel almost instinctive. Every gardener leaves their own mark. What will you always find in a “Melli garden”? And is there a plant you couldn’t live without?

In my garden, I try above all to create balance. Straight vegetable beds give structure, while flower beds and large wildflower circles provide food and nesting spaces for insects. A lovely side effect is that these insects then pollinate my vegetables and support my harvest. There’s also a newly planted orchard in the front garden, along with native perennials, shrubs, and trees. Alongside the native plants, I also grow cut flowers so I can bring a little bit of the garden indoors. And my chickens, of course, have their own dedicated area.

One plant I wouldn’t want to be without is French marigold (Tagetes patula). It’s a fantastic companion plant: cabbage white butterflies avoid it, so I like to plant it next to my brassicas. Slugs love it, which makes it perfect as a sacrificial plant—keeping them away from the vegetables. And I have a real soft spot for orange flowers, so visually it fits beautifully too.

Many gardeners can trace their connection to nature back to early childhood. What’s your first memory of being outdoors—perhaps a smell, a texture, or a small detail that stayed with you?

Since I was very young, I’ve gone mushroom foraging with my parents every autumn. Getting up early, packing a thermos and my mum’s buttered sandwiches, then wandering through quiet woodland for hours. The fresh forest scent, the morning dew on the moss, and that first exciting find—those were some of the most beautiful moments of my childhood.

Interestingly, we were usually foraging in the Eifel—the region I now call home. I still love going mushroom picking today. It’s become a fixed part of how we provide for ourselves.

"I’ve gone mushroom foraging with my parents every autumn—those were some of the most beautiful moments of my childhood."

 

 

II. The Reality of Gardening

A garden isn’t only about beauty and abundance. Real gardening also means uncertainty, mistakes, and constant learning. Can you share a “successful failure”—something that didn’t work, but taught you something important?

Honestly, something fails every year. I’ve never really seen that as failure, though—more as learning. Last year, for example, I tried growing melons and peanuts. The melons barely grew, and the peanuts were eaten at the roots one by one. In the end, I harvested exactly one and a half peanuts—which was at least good for a laugh.

For me, that’s not discouraging. It motivates me to try again. I’ve had the same experience with many vegetables, and every year it gets better. That’s what I love about gardening—you’re always learning and experimenting. One of my core principles is to grow at least one thing every year that I’ve never grown before. Last year it was luffa gourds and tomatillos, and I’ll be growing both again this year.

"Honestly, something fails every year. I’ve never really seen that as failure."

 

Which tool or object has become far more important to you than you ever expected?

I’m not sure it counts as a classic tool, but one thing I absolutely couldn’t do without is my wheelbarrow. I use it constantly—for building compost beds, spreading mulch, harvesting, and removing plant waste. With over 100 square metres of vegetable beds, that really adds up.

I also use it to transport wood chips for the paths and even as a catch tray when filling seed trays with compost. Without a wheelbarrow, a lot of things in my garden simply wouldn’t work.

If you had a magic wand and could skip one garden task forever, which would it be?

My first thought was mowing the lawn—but even that has its moments. Riding the sit-on mower and working across the lawn strip by strip can be surprisingly meditative.

What I’m very happy for my husband to take over permanently is cutting the beech hedges. Both the trimming itself and the clearing up afterwards bring me very little joy, but I love our hedge. It offers shelter and nesting spaces for many birds and gives us beautiful privacy at the same time.

Gardening follows a slower, seasonal rhythm—very different from the pace of modern life. How has working with the seasons changed how you see time and ageing?

I’m very grateful that we still experience four real seasons where we live. Each has its own character and its own tasks. Winter, especially, makes you appreciate the abundance of spring and summer. For me, that leads to a deeper respect for nature and its cycles.

 

III. Gardening in the Digital World

How did your garden go from a private refuge to something you share publicly?

It actually started very casually. I shared photos and videos of my harvest with friends and family in my private Instagram stories. The response was overwhelming—so much encouragement and so many questions that I realised my experiences might be valuable to a wider audience. For me, my vegetable garden and harvest felt completely normal. For others, it seemed special and inspiring.

"I shared photos and videos of my harvest with friends and family in my private Instagram stories. The response was overwhelming..."

 

Has sharing your garden publicly changed your relationship with gardening itself?

Staying authentic is incredibly important to me. My vegetable garden came from genuine passion—it existed long before my videos or social media channels. I garden because I love it, not to create content. The videos and tips grow out of what I actually experience and do in the garden. My goal is to share experiences and inspire people, not to stage my garden for the camera.

Some spontaneity has been lost. Everything is now planned so I can document each step of the gardening year and share it with my community. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does feel different.

With so much advice online, what’s a gardening rule you strongly disagree with?

I tend to distance myself from videos that start with “You must” or “You should never.” Every garden is different, and everyone gardens in their own way. Gardening should be inclusive. I find dogmatic “this is the only way” thinking really unhelpful. I share tips and experiences, but I’d never claim to dictate how someone should garden.

Although, I do draw clear boundaries—for example when it comes to animal cruelty. Spreading salt to kill slugs is not only cruel but also damages the soil.

Another example is the no-dig method by Charles Dowding, which I also use and which involves adding large amounts of compost. People often claim compost is “too strong” and nothing will grow in it. My harvest proves otherwise. These days, I take comments like that with a smile and let the results speak for themselves.

"I find dogmatic 'this is the only way' thinking really unhelpful. I share tips and experiences, but I’d never claim to dictate how someone should garden."

 

 

What myth about gardening would you most like to dispel for beginners?

A garden doesn’t have to be an enormous amount of work. These days, I often spend more time producing videos than actually gardening. With a few simple techniques, gardening becomes much easier.

No-dig beds with compost reduce weeds and create healthy soil. Mulching keeps moisture in, and raising seedlings to be drought-resistant significantly lowers maintenance. Gardening does involve work—but these small approaches keep it manageable and enjoyable.

I also always recommend starting small. You can grow into it step by step without feeling overwhelmed. Beds can always be expanded later—but whatever you grow also needs to be used.

What do you hope viewers take away from your videos?

I love watching food grow—knowing where it comes from, harvesting it, and then preserving it. That’s what I want to pass on. I take people through the gardening year and show how vegetable growing can fit into everyday life—from planning and seed starting to care, harvest, and processing.

My content is complemented by recipes, DIY projects, and insights into keeping chickens. Gardening and keeping chickens have fundamentally changed how I value food. I waste less and appreciate every ingredient much more.

Above all, I want to encourage people to start. You don’t need to be an expert, and things don’t have to be perfect to enjoy gardening. For me, the garden is a place to breathe and switch off. That’s the feeling I want to share.

"I want to encourage people to start... the garden is a place to breathe and switch off. "

 

 

IV. Beyond the screen

How would you describe your overall goal and approach to sharing knowledge?

My goal is to inspire people and give them the confidence to start growing vegetables themselves. I share practical, down-to-earth tips to lower the barrier to entry.

I truly believe that even a small raised bed can foster a deep appreciation for food—understanding seasonality or how long vegetables take to grow already changes how we value them. Growing your own food also avoids long transport routes and excessive packaging. And home-grown vegetables simply taste best.

How did you approach curating your organic seed set with Heirbloom?

I’ve grown all of these varieties successfully myself. They were the stars of one of my most successful gardening years. I’ve harvested them, eaten them, preserved them, and can say from experience that they’re reliable. They’re wonderful vegetable varieties I can wholeheartedly recommend. I chose them because they offer great yields while being easy to care for. The mix results in a diverse, colourful harvest basket.

"I chose them because they offer great yields while being easy to care for. The mix results in a diverse, colourful harvest basket."

 

What’s still missing from your garden?

My biggest dream is a Victorian greenhouse. It would become the heart of the garden and allow me to grow heat-loving plants for longer, extending both the season and the harvest window.

I’d also love a water feature—perhaps a pond—to increase biodiversity and create a calm retreat that adds even more atmosphere.

And I don’t believe a garden is ever truly finished. That’s why I’m looking forward to many more projects and ideas still to come.

"I don’t believe a garden is ever truly finished. That’s why I’m looking forward to many more projects and ideas still to come."

 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and wisdom with us, Melli.