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The Messenger welcomes Sheri Brooks of the Pike County Master Gardners as a monthly guest columnist. Her column, “So Fresh and So Green,” will appear the last Wednesday of each month.

Greetings! I am Sheri Brooks and I will be sharing a love for gardening with you in this quip called So Fresh and So Green!

Before I began what I am sure will be delightful and insightful tips and ideas regarding gardening, please allow me to share a little bit about myself. I am a native of Troy, an alumnus twice over of Troy University, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, and a member of the Pike County Master Gardeners. Gardening has been a passion of mine since I was a child. I grew up watching my mother grow roses. Watching her interact with nature fascinated me. I wanted to develop my own green thumb. Growing things in the backyard without consulting my mother first was something I was known to do. I’ve heard the words “Sheri…why are there squash vines in my backyard?” more than once (I tried to sneak tree back there once, but she caught me)!

I’ve carried this love for growing things into my adulthood. Even when I served in the Air Force, there was a moment when I had so many plants on my desk that a passing captain commented, “OK, Poison Ivy, enough with the plants!” Gardening is one of the most fulfilling hobbies that a person can participate in. Your plants reward your hard work with their beauty and sustenance.

This piece will be in the Troy Messenger on the last Wednesday of every month. I look forward to growing with you!