by Cheryl Hammond
Penny Holtzmann’s passion for native plants enriches us all
Visitors to the Eastern Missouri Group’s office in Maplewood may be startled to encounter a flourishing wildflower garden tucked between two buildings on Manchester Avenue, just a few steps from the Sierra Club office. Penny Holtzmann and her team of faithful Sierra Club gardeners have been tending this patch of natural Missouri since 2003. Set with a winding walk, this garden spot features asters, coneflowers, Indian grass, and other plants representing Missouri prairies and stretches from Manchester Avenue to the back parking lot.
From vacant lot to beauty spot, this garden has won the admiration of those who live and work along Manchester Avenue. In 2003, Penny, a part-time Sierra Club administrative employee, and office mate Jill Miller, Global Warming and Energy Coordinator, took note of the opportunity for a better use of this formerly vacant lot. Penny approached the city of Maplewood who owned the property and the garden was born. As the garden progressed, misunderstandings with the city mowing contractor and the building owner next door caused the young plants to get cut down more than once until city services and neighbors came to understand what this was about.
Penny’s efforts are just the latest in a lifetime of efforts to promote and study native plants in Missouri. She became interested in native plants from early days taking her young children to hike in state parks. Her sister, Marty Vogt, joined her in this interest in native plants. Marty later returned to school to study plant biology and is now the editor of the Illinois Native Plant Society Journal. In 1982, Penny joined the Sierra Club and became active in trail maintenance, volunteering on the trails every month for four years. In 1990, Penny began ten years of leading glade restoration outings. She also is an enthusiastic canoeist, owns her own canoe, and has counted 150 canoe trips.
You can also depend on Penny for helping with lemonade sales and newsletter mailings.
Not a biologist by occupation, Penny worked in medical records for the Veteran’s Administration in St. Louis until her retirement. Recently, Penny has worked part-time in the Sierra Club office in St. Louis.
This is the first in a series of profiles of active Sierra Club members in Missouri.