Jennifer Perez is Tualatin High School’s librarian, known for creating a warm and comforting environment in the library that is so loved by many. But where does this nurturing energy come from? For Perez, it’s gardening. 

What inspires Perez to garden? 

“I grew up with a dad who gardened, so he would take a huge part of our yard and grow whatever he felt like,” she said. “I grew up with fresh vegetables, which I liked. And in college, I worked in a nursery, so I’ve always been surrounded by plants.” 

She expressed her love for gardening through the satisfaction that comes from watching the plants grow from tiny seeds into flourishing greenery. On top of that, she gets the opportunity to save money on groceries and doesn’t seem to need to worry about buying flowers ever again. 

Although Perez has a greenhouse, it’s not her end goal. 

“When I moved into my house – I moved to Oregon two years ago – I was like, wow, this is nice yard. Should we grow a garden?” 

Currently, Perez has a goal of building a real-deal greenhouse made with wood and glass, rather than plastic, and successfully growing ivy inside her home.