In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from the heat and let the simple syrup cool.

Meanwhile, blend the strawberries with a splash of water until smooth. For a smoother lemonade, strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve.

Juice the lemons until you have 1 cup of fresh lemon juice, removing any seeds.

In a large pitcher, combine the cooled simple syrup, strawberry puree, lemon juice, and 4 cups of cold water. Stir well.

Taste and adjust as needed by adding more lemon juice for extra tartness or more water if you prefer a lighter flavor.

Serve over ice and garnish with fresh strawberries, lemon slices, and mint, if desired.