Begin by hulling the fresh strawberries, slicing them into halves or quarters, and combining them with sugar. Let mixture macerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, cooking for about 10-15 minutes until strawberries are soft and liquid has thickened.

Remove from heat and let cool, then strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to extract the syrup while discarding the pulp.

Squeeze fresh lemons to yield about 1 ½ cups of juice, rolling them on the countertop first for more juice.

In a large pitcher, mix the cooled strawberry syrup, fresh lemon juice, and 4 cups of water. Stir well and adjust sweetness as needed.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to chill and allow flavors to meld.

Serve over ice, garnishing each glass with lemon slices and fresh strawberries.