Horticulture Volunteer Spotlight
Isabelle Morris, Donna Walker and Holly Brigham
An interest in plants is a given among Missouri Botanical Garden Horticulture volunteers. Additional reasons for volunteering vary from person to person. According to Isabelle Morris, Missouri Botanical Garden has afforded her an education during the more than 30 years she has volunteered. She comes to the Garden to learn. When Holly Brigham and her husband moved to St. Louis fifteen plus years ago, she didn't know many people here. She thought the Garden would be the perfect place to meet people with similar interests. Donna Walker has experience with floral design and loves working with plants and gardens. So she joined the Garden's members' board.
These women were largely responsible for the Signature Plants offered at Missouri Botanical Garden's Spring Plant Sale. The MBG Signature Collection features dozens of species propagated from the beautiful and unusual plants growing at the Garden.
The Signature Collection began in 1990 when Isabelle and Holly realized that there was a great demand to purchase unusual plants locally. Donna joined them in 1995 and volunteered 18 years before moving to Colorado. But they started volunteering in many different capacities years prior to the concept of Signature Plants. As of 2009, Holly has volunteered 22 years, and Isabelle will only say that she has volunteered for over 30 years!
"We couldn't do this without the enthusiasm and support of the horticulture staff - it's a real partnership," said Holly. "We dig, divide, take cuttings from plants on the grounds, and grow them in the greenhouses. Staff let us know when special things are available, including seed or extra plants from new displays. Cathy Pauley, the greenhouse supervisor, acts as our liaison and helps supervise the daily care of the plants." The hard work pays off - the annual sale supports continuing education for the horticulture staff and helps promote the Garden's mission to share knowledge about plants.
(There will not be a Plant Sale in 2010.)