Mary Ann Pickens' Lynn R. Lowery research collection

Mary Ann Barnes Pickens (1926-03-16 - 2013-08-11) was born in Jackson, TN. While it is unclear when she moved to Houston, TX, she did work for the Texas Business School in the 1980s. She also served as Treasurer for Pickens Medical Dist. Inc from 1980-1995. Because of her love of gardening, she was a member of various garden clubs, and was the Treasurer of the Greenwood Forest Garden Club. In 1999, she wrote the article, "Lynn R. Lowery, Plantsman." The majority of this archival collection focuses on her research regarding Lowery, which she used for her article. She also had a hand in creating the Lynn R. Lowery Arboretum at Rice University.

Lynn R. Lowery - Born in Mansfield, Louisiana, in 1917, Lynn R. Lowrey was a graduate of Louisiana State University in 1940 with a degree in horticulture. After serving four years in the US Army during World War II, he came to Houston in the 1950s to work with an established Houston firm, Teas Nursery. He soon opened his own nursery on Westheimer and was known for his unusual native plants. He landscaped many Houston homes and businesses and made many trips to identify and collect plants from Mexico. He received a grant to study certain plant species in China and was instrumental in providing funding for cancer research on Camptotheca trees. Lowrey was the recipient of many awards: the American Association of Nurserymen National Landscape Award, the Houston Botanical Society Environmental Achievement Award, the Houston Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Award, the Municipal Art Commission Award, and several plant conservation awards. He died in 1997.