The Greensboro Garden Club has recognized Sherrie Shaner as its July Yard of the Month honoree, celebrating a landscape filled with beautiful plants, personal touches and memories that continue to bloom.
Sherrie and her husband, Gary, moved to Greensboro in 2007 to be closer to their daughter, Laura Dunfee, and her family. Before settling in Alabama, Gary served as an Army helicopter pilot for 25 years, a career that took the couple to communities across the country and even to Germany before they found a permanent home in Greensboro.
One of the first things visitors notice is the sign beside the Shaners’ front door that reads “Kennett South.” Sherrie grew up in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, and has fond memories of her hometown. The sign is her way of honoring where she came from while celebrating where she is today. As much as she loved Kennett Square, she says she loves Greensboro just as much.
Asked about her favorite plant, Sherrie didn’t hesitate. “Hostas,” she answered with a smile. Their lush green foliage can be found throughout her landscape, adding texture and beauty to the shady areas around her home.
She is also excited about a new project taking shape in her front yard, a container garden that she and Gary are creating together. Their plans include placing a decorative statue at its center, creating another inviting focal point for visitors to enjoy.
Gardening is about more than beautiful flowers for Sherrie. Laughing, she said, “Want to know the truth?” She enjoys grabbing her favorite beverage and spending a quiet afternoon in the garden. As she works, she often thinks about her late mother and grandmother, who shared her love of gardening. Those moments of reflection, she says, are among her favorite parts of tending her flowers.
Looking back on the decision to move to Greensboro, Sherrie says it was one of the best she and Gary ever made. “There’s always something going on,” she said.
The Garden Club’s Yard of the Month program recognizes homeowners who help make the community more beautiful through thoughtful landscaping and pride in their homes. The program runs annually from April through December, with a new yard recognized each month.
Residents who would like to nominate a yard may text suggestions to the Garden Club president at 334-663-7433.
