From 1988 to 1998 Carl Schoenfeld and I made 75 expeditions into the ruggedly beautiful mountains of northeast Mexico. This crazy and wonderful life began in July of 1988 when the late Lynn Lowery, renowned plantsman and native plant explorer from Houston, Texas, telephoned to ask if we would like to join him on a botanizing trip to Mexico. The first thing that came to mind was the pleasant thought of escaping the intense heat and humidity of east Texas. The answer to Lynn's invitation was an immediate yes, because we had long hoped to be asked to join one of his famous expeditions. We knew that the landscape would be beautiful and cool, but we had no earthly idea of the overwhelming diversity of trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, woody lilies, and bulbs in the states of Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas.
On
this first expedition with Lynn we saw everything from high altitude cloud
forest to desert. These four memorable days were an intense introduction to
a whole new way of seeing. Searching for plants began early in the morning
and often continued by flashlight until after ten at night. Lynn was a store-house
of energy and hard earned knowledge, from decades of wide ranging travel through-out
Mexico and Texas. He was a master of making the exhausting work of hunting
for plants an exciting learning adventure, and his genuine enthusiasm for
all living things will forever influence our thinking and altered the future
direction and growth of Peckerwood Garden.
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Copyright 2008 Peckerwood Garden |
To Our Friends in Mexico
The people and flora of Mexico will always have a very special and emotional place in my heart. Today, even after 80 expeditions, the sight of the beautiful mountains of the Sierra Madre Oriental fills me with wonder and excitement.
Northeast Mexico is rich in natural beauty — spaces that are awesome and breathtaking. It is in your hands to ensure the future of these mysterious and magical mountains. You must take the lead in preserving and nurturing these precious resources. Mexico had the first botanical garden — so the link between culture and the flora goes back for many centuries. Mexico is made up of dynamic cultures, and all are aware and proud of this heritage. The love and care that has been given to the restoration and preservation of your history is admirable. But now that this monumental task is well under way, you must actively and assertively promote an attitude that will make all aware of the importance of your natural environments.
Overgrazing used to be a great concern. It does considerably slow down regeneration, but the damage made by animals can in no way compare with the destruction brought about by man's over development and technology coupled with greed. You must not allow what has happened in the United States to occur in Mexico. In so many cases we realized too late what needed to be done. Learn from our mistakes. The mountains which surround you are virtually unspoiled. They will remain in this pristine state only if all become aware of the natural treasures that are to be found in the valleys, canyons, rolling dry plains, and on the rugged peaks.