1
APS Awards
(Dale Lindgren, APS Historian, February 10, 2010)
I have tried to record the postings from the Bulletin of the American Penstemon Society that
relate to awards into four sections. Section I summarizes several references to awards in
Bulletins of the American Penstemon Society. These are before the three APS awards were
formally first announced. Section II, III and IV summarize the recipients of the three APS
Awards: Myrtle Hebert Award, Ralph Bennett Award and Glenn Viehmeyer Award,
respectively.
I. This first section summarizes references to awards in Bulletins of the
American Penstemon Society before 1995. They do not include the 3 major
awards the Society now presents to members.
1969 APS Bulletin 28, page 3 from President’s Message
Quote from President Bruce Meyers “One of the highlights of this period was the presentation of a
plaque to Ralph as a token of appreciation for all he had done in behalf of the American Penstemon
Society. My participation in the preparations for this event brought about the confirmation of one of my
strong suspicions; namely, that the many years of hard work that Ralph has done for the society have not
gone unnoticed, or un-appreciated. It was heart-warming to observe the enthusiasm of everyone involved
in this surprise ‘Thank you’ to Ralph.”
1969 APS Bulletin 28, page 16 –Award of Appreciation Given to Mr. Bennett
At the regular meeting of the Neighborhood Garden Club of Arlington, Virginia, on September 15,
1969, Mrs. Cox, the President, read the following letter from Mrs. Lavandeur Boyrie acting on behalf of
the Penstemon Society: “Dear Ralph BECAUSE: For Well over a quarter of a century you have given
your time, inspiration, and encouragement to the American Penstemon Society, organizing it with
enthusiasm, nurturing its early years with untiring zeal, stimulating its growth to broader horizons and
greater member-participation; For long hours of effort given, over and beyond the duties of a President, to
writing, publishing, botanical research, and the answering of countless letters; For the example of
devotion and dedication which you have set for us; THEREFORE, on behalf of the members of this
Society, in token of our appreciation for your faithful services to us, may I present to you this plaque.
Sincerely, Levandeur Boyrie For the American Penstemon Society”
Mrs. Cox then presented Mr. Bennett with a brass plaque, shaped like a shield, measuring 6 by 5
inches, mounted on a piece of walnut wood one inch larger all around then the plaque. Engraved on the
plaque is the following wording:
A.P.S.
Founded 1946
Ralph W. Bennett
Founder-President 1946-1969
In Appreciation
For many years
Of dedicated service
As President
Executive Board and Members
American Penstemon Society
2
The plaque was a complete surprise to Mr. Bennett. Although the process of presentation covered
several months and quite a number of persons knew about it, the secret was well kept. This award will
serve as tangible evidence of the appreciation and affection of the members of the Penstemon Society for
all the hard work that Mr. Bennett has done for it. Helen L. Mallory, Corresponding Secretary
1980 APS Bulletin 39-1, page 4- The Myrtle Hebert Memorial Fund
With the approval of Myrtle’s family, the American Penstemon Society has established a memorial
fund to honor Myrtle. As many of you know, she was a founding member of the Society and, in fact, had
gathered and exchanged seeds long before the Society was formed. Despite her quiet modesty, she was
one of our most knowledgeable members. As Erma Pilz, one of her very dear friends, put it in a recent
note, “Without detracting from the work of Ralph Bennett in any way, most of us felt that her interest, her
love of members, and her giving of herself was what really made a cohesive unit of the APS for all these
years.” Money contributed to the memorial fund will be invested with the interest being used to help
offset the cost of publication of our Bulletin and other material. Over a period of time, we are attempting
to build up a fund which can be invested with the interest going to offset costs and prevent any increase in
dues. Since publication, at present, does not cost us anything other than cost of material and postage, we
are quite solvent. However, if at some time in the distant future it becomes necessary for us to publish
with a printing firm, our publication costs will increase greatly. If you would wish to honor others with a
contribution, such monies will go into the gross investment fund. Myrtle’s death occurred so soon before
publication of this issue that time has not permitted consideration of how memorial funds in general
should be handled other than to use interest and not the capital.
1991 APS Bulletin 50-1, page 61 - In 1991 (Notes from the President, page 61) “The following
awards have been proposed by Betty Davenport to be presented when merited: Ralph Bennett Award to a
person who has given significant time to the American Penstemon Society. Myrtle Hebert Award for
advancement of the study of penstemons. Glenn Viehmeyer Award for developing a new named hybrid of
merit. Betty has proposed giving a cash award and engraved plaque and this is under consideration.
Comments will be welcome.” (No other mention was found on the action taken on this proposal.
However, it was evidently approved as these awards have been presented to several members. These are
very prestigious awards.
1991 (50-2, page 89) – Erma Pilz Receives Award Long-time member Erma Pilz was honored with
an award by the Society at the Southwest Regional Meeting in Albuquerque in June this year. She has
introduced many, many people to the joys of penstemons and served the Society in a variety of ways. Her
careful observations and notes have appeared frequently in the APS Bulletin over the years. Her most
recent accomplishment is the authorship, with member Jean Heflin, also of Albuquerque, of a field guide,
The Beautiful Beardtongues of New Mexico. Not content to rest on their laurels, the two authors are
continuing to seek information for a new edition. A pin depicting a Broadtailed Hummingbird at a
Penstemon psuedospectabilis was presented and a gift will be made to The Nature Conservancy in Erma’s
name. (This award does not appear to be one of the three major APS Awards).
1992 (51-2, page 54) – In gratitude for all George has done, we dedicate this issue of the bulletin to
him. (No APS award was presented to George as far as we know in 1992.)
3
II. Recipients of the Myrtle Heber Award
The American Penstemon Society’s Myrtle Heber Award is presented to an APS member for
their work for the advancement of the study of penstemons.
1995 APS Myrtle Hebert Award (APS54-2, page 76-1995)
Kenneth and Robin Lodewick
The American Penstemon Society’s Myrtle Hebert Award for the advancement of the study of
Penstemon is presented to Kenneth and Robin Lodewick. Kenneth and Robin joined the
American Penstemon Society in 1962. They have been leaders in summarizing and publishing
information on the classification, nomenclature and historical background of Penstemon. Their
booklets Penstemon Notes, Penstemon Nomenclature, Penstemon Field Identifier, and Keys to
the Genus Penstemon have been published as supplements to the Bulletin of the American
Penstemon Society. They have published 14 articles in the Bulletin of the APS since 1979. In
addition, they have published articles in the American Rock Garden Society Bulletin, in
Fremontia, in Kalmiopsis, and in the Oregon Historical Quarterly. They have done much
research on Penstemon and contributed many trip reports to the APS Bulletin. Robin was born in
St. Louis, Missouri. Her education included the Corcoran School of Art, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn
College(BA), and Rutgers University School of Library Service (MLS). She was employed as a
catalog librarian at the University of Oregon Library from 1961 to 1981. Kenneth Lodewick was
born in Orono, Maine. He received a B.S. in Structures Design from the University of Oregon.
He has worked as a newspaper librarian, engineering aide, civic engineer, and cartographer. Ken
and Robin were married in 1963. Ken and Robin have many other interests.
1999 APS Myrtle Hebert Award(APS58-1, p. 3- 1999)
Erma Pilz
The 1999 American Penstemon Society’s Myrtle Hebert Award for the advancement of the
study of Penstemons is presented to Erma Pilz. Erma has been a member of the American
Penstemon Society since 1957. Her interest in penstemons began in Illinois and followed her to
New Mexico. She served as director of the APS International Robin for many years. “Erma has
continued to write in the International Robin 16 in spite of the problems she has had with her
eyes. Unexpected comments from her are not unusual”, said Shirley Bachman.
Erma’s writings in the robin letters have been a joy to read. These include personal observations
on penstemons and other plants, plus comments on friends and family.
Erma has always carefully observed and studied plants and had recorded her observations in
her drawings. “Her drawings are used for The Beautiful Beardtongues: A Field Guide to New
Mexico Penstemons,” according to Jean Heflin. “It was a pleasure working with her for her
knowledge and incisive mind. She gave considerable help, even though ill, when Bill and I were
preparing the second version of Penstemon: the Beautiful Beardtongues of New Mexico”
Erma encouraged many people to pursue their love of plants and to write about plants. Robert
DeWitt Ivey who wrote, Flowering Plants of New Mexico, copyright 1986, Second Edition,
gives credit to Erma for “valuable help, field guidance and encouragement.” Although Erma was
presented a pin for her work with Penstemon in 1991, the Society felt that Erma should be
further recognized with the Myrtle Hebert Award. Erma is a most valuable, longtime member of
the American Penstemon Society. Her recognition is long overdue.”
4
2005 APS Myrtle Hebert Award (APS 64-2 p. 7 -2005)
Ellen Wilde
Ellen Wilde has advanced the study of penstemon in an incredible variety of ways. Like this
award’s namesake, she enthusiastically shares her vast knowledge about – and love for –
penstemons. Ellen has published widely, in the Bulletin and in popular articles such as
“Splendid, Spunky, Penstemons”, in 1998 Fine Gardening. With Dale Lindgren, she has coauthored the recent book, “Growing Penstemons: Species, Cultivars, and Hybrids” which
masterfully fills a gap in current penstemon books, with its emphasis on growing. She has been a
gardener for over sixty years! Currently serving as APS Librarian, Ellen has been a devoted
robineer and also served as APS Seed Exchange Director for a number of years. As librarian,
Ellen has put together slide programs about penstemons and aided many people in various
research projects. Ellen hosted a splendid annual meeting in New Mexico that included
penstemon in both the garden and the wild. She has been a tireless promoter of the beauty and
virtues of penstemons as events such as the Penstemon Festival held last summer at the
Arboretum at Flagstaff, Arizona. She is a gracious hostess, driving folks from afar to meetings
and sharing her penstemon laden Southwest garden. With great pleasure, the Myrtle Hebert
Award was presented to our faithful society librarian, Ellen Wilde, at the Annual Meeting in
Bishop.
2007 APS Myrtle Herbert Award (APS Newsletter Vol. 1, Issue 3, p. 3- 2007)
Noel Holmgren
Noel Holmgren gave a speech on October 21, 2007 at the Denver Botanic garden on the
occasion of the North American Rock Garden Society, Rocky Mountain Chapter’s annual
Quintuple Day of meetings and talks. At the conclusion of Noel’s speech, he was given the
Myrtle Hebert Award from the American Penstemon Society. Presented by its president, Bob
McFarlane, the award honors Dr. Holmgren’s years of discovery, research and authorship in the
huge and diverse Genus Penstemon. Dr. Holmgren, A Ph.D. in Botany, long-time member of the
American Penstemon Society, and recently retired from the New York Botanic Garden, has for
many years been collaborating in the writing of the soon-to-be-8 volume ‘Intermountain Flora”.
The first volume was published in 1972 by Noel’s father, Dr. Arthur Holmgren, plus Dr. Arthur
Cronquist, Dr. James L. Reveal and Noel’s wife, Dr. Patricia K. Holmgren. It was conceived to
cover the flora of lands roughly between the western Sierras and the Rocky Mountains. Noel has
been the principal author of the huge section on the Genus Penstemon that fills 85 pages of
Volume IV, plus other genera. - By Ginny Maffitt–
5
II. Recipients of the Ralph Bennett Awards
The Ralph Bennett Award is given for exemplary service to the American Penstemon Society.
It is named for our founder and long serving first president who seemingly, almost single
handedly, built the APS into the organization it is today. His service to the society in terms of
time and contribution was amazing. And, as a tribute to him, this award was instituted in 1995.
1995 APS Ralph Bennett Award (APS54-2, page 76-77)
George Yingling
The American Penstemon Society’s Ralph Bennett Award, for a “person who has given a
significant amount of time to the American Penstemon Society” is presented to George Yingling.
George has been a member of the American Penstemon Society from 1958 through 1961, and
from 1976 to present. George became editor of the bulletin in 1978 and continued with those
responsibilities until 1988. He also contributed many articles to the Bulletin. The form of the
bulletin changed from mimeographed pages to a professional, offset published format when
George took over editorship. He introduced color into the bulletin and began publishing two
issues a year. The bulletin size was reduced from 8 ½ x 11 inches to 8 ½ x 5 ½ inches in
December, 1979, to cut costs of production and postage. Bulletin content with George as editor
included more scientific articles plus the traditional material (trip reports, garden reports, etc.).
More contributions from overseas members were also featured. He served as APS President from
1990 to 1991. He was also active as leader for the Penstemon display at Cox Arboretum for
many years. He has done much experimenting and research on Penstemon and shared his
thoughts with APS members. His promotion of raised beds with gravel base has enabled the
growing of dryland species in the Midwest and East. George was born and raised in North
Carolina. He graduated from North Carolina State University in 1940 with a degree in electrical
engineering. He moved to Dayton, Ohio, in 1944 with the Air Force in a research and
development capacity until retiring in 1973. He then became a self-employed engineering
consultant for several years. His wife Mary, has been his right hand person, acting as
bookkeeper, secretary, and typist. They have two sons. George has numerous activities and
interests, including his local church and choir, Habitat for Humanity, as well as volunteering for
various organizations.
2005 Ralph Bennett Award (APS 64-2, page 8 – 2005)
Ann Bartlett
Ann Bartlett, this year’s recipient certainly meets the requirement of this award. Her
service and importance to the society over the past many years compares favorably to that of our
founder. By way of background, she was born and raised in the Bay Area of California. She
attended college at the University of New Mexico, where she met her husband, and San Jose
State. She has three degrees – in anthropology, geology and nursing. She has worked as a forest
lookout, a paleontologist, a university teacher and nurse. She worked at Children’s Hospital in
Denver for 27 years. She has been a lover of the outdoors since she was a child and had the
privilege of hiking the Sierra and John Muir Trail at a time when you were actually surprised to
see someone else on the trail. She is very interested in rock gardening and has studied and
photographed flowers for many years in many parts of the world. Over the years, she has served
several plant and garden societies but none as effectively as she has served ours. For many years
6
she has been the glue that has held our organization together. She has acted tirelessly as
unofficial nominating committee, all knowing source of information, and officially as Secretary
for the past 17 years. We are pleased and honored to present the Ralph Bennett Award to Ann.
IV. Recipients of the APS Glenn Viehmeyer Award
The American Penstemon Society’s Glenn Viehmeyer Award is awarded for developing a new
named hybrid of merit.
1995 APS Glenn Viehmeyer Award (APS54-2, page 77-78)
Bruce Meyers
The American Penstemon Society’s Glenn Viehmeyer Award for developing hybrids of
merit is presented to Bruce Meyers of White Salmon, WA. Bruce’s introduction to Penstemon
began when he read an announcement in a Portland, Oregon newspaper about a spring flower
show to be held at a road-stop on the old scenic highway in the Columbia River Gorge. He
attended the show where he met Faith Mackaness, who introduced him to the art of Penstemon
hybridization. In 1969 he joined the American Penstemon Society and started hybridization of
Penstemon and continues to do so. Bruce has released numerous Penstemon cultivars as well as
Penstemon germplasm. Cultivars and releases he has been responsible for include ‘Carol’,
‘Continental’, Crystal’, ‘Dog Mountain’, ‘Dusty’, ‘Frosty’, ‘Gabriel’, ‘Goldie’, ‘Husum Hills’,
‘Kewpie’, ‘Martha Raye’, ‘Moonglow’, ‘Neve’, ‘Snowflake’, ‘SuperSub’, and ‘White Knight’.
His ‘Mexicala’ and ‘Mexicana’ releases have been a source of plant selection material for others
to use. He continues to improve on his selections through selection and introduction of new
material into his hybrid Penstemon breeding complex. Bruce was born in White Salmon,
Washington. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943, immediately after high school.
Following his release after World War II, he enrolled in a commercial art school in Portland and
transferred to the Hollywood Art Center in Los Angeles, CA, where he studied advertizing and
fine art. He later returned to White Salmon and married a local girl in 1949. He earned his living
as a timber faller. Bruce has three children.
In addition to his Penstemon breeding activities, he served as acting president for the APS in
1969. He also drew numerous sketches of Penstemon species for covers on the APS Bulletin in
the 1970’s. He has contributed numerous reports to the APS Bulletin and provided seed to the
APS seed exchange. His reports in the APS Bulletin are not only educational but also
entertaining to read. As an example, he stated in one of his reports “This project (highway) cut
through several miles of high cliffs, which are, of course quite bare. I designed a special sling for
a bean shooter, and have been having a ball shooting mud balls filled with stratified mixed
shrubby pent seeds as high up on the cliff as possible. Of course I can’t guarantee that the seed
will germinate and grow, but I hope.” In addition to reports in the APS Bulletin, Bruce has
written articles for the Gem and Minerals Magazine where examples of his lapidary art have
appeared on the covers. His hobbies include photography, hybridizing Lewisia, oil painting, and
wood-working (carving, marquetry, and furniture.)
7
2005 APS Glenn Viehmeyer Award (APS 64-2, p. 10 -2005)
Dr. Dale T. Lindgren
Shortly after receiving his Doctorate in Plant Breeding and Genetics from the University of
Wisconsin in 1976, Dale came to work as an Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska
North Platte Research Station. Almost immediately he followed in the footsteps of Glenn
Viehmeyer, giving talks to the Midwest Chapter of the American Penstemon Society, writing for
the Bulletin and continuing the development and improvement of Penstemon cultivars for midwest gardeners. At one of the Midwest Chapter meetings he spotted a penstemon with dark red
stems and foliage in member Verla Heitmann’s garden and asked her to save seed for him. She
did and a few years later he introduced Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ which was named
‘Perennial Plant of the Year in 1996. He was also responsible for ‘Prairie Snow’ and ‘Schooley’s
Yellow’ among other introductions.
In addition to his professional activities, Dale has served as the Society’s Registrar of
Cultivars and Hybrids, Seed Exchange Chairman and President simultaneously in the 90’s and as
Editor of the Bulletin since 1998. He co-authored the first Named Cultivars Book and now has
an up-to-date revision ready for printing. His help was invaluable in putting together the book
‘Growing Penstemon: Species, Hybrids and Cultivars.’
We are most grateful for his continued enthusiasm for penstemons and efforts on our behalf,
even though working with penstemons does not bring in the large grants to the Research Center
that working with beans and other commercial crops does. He has been a full professor of the
University since 1994 with the responsibilities of selecting and introducing ornamental plants for
sustainable landscape use as well as teaching and supporting the Extension Service of the region.
Thank you, Dale for all you have done for the Society and for all you are still doing, as your
presentation to the Annual Meeting so beautifully demonstrated!