Lawrie is an architect and landscape architect, and has always been interested in exploring the Australian bush. He’s been an active member of Native Plants Queensland since the late 1960s.
He established his landscape consultancy Landplan Studio in Brisbane in 1974, recognised as one of Australia’s progressive landscape architectural consultancies.
Lawrie has maintained a strong social philosophy primarily concentrating on providing specialised parkland and open space developments, as well as involvement with major national and international exhibitions which introduce people to quality urban environments through innovative landscape and amenity horticulture initiatives.
Lawrie built his career around a strong personal ethos of ‘Design with Nature’ in two major areas: the unique quality and value of the Australian environment and the flora, and the provision of quality open space facilities for the community.
Retired since 2004, Lawrie has concentrated on providing specialised assistance for many past projects, family, travel and establishing a new personal native garden.
Presentation topic: Garden design – The past informs the present and the future!
There are three themes:
1. Building on Country: What key principles, derived from the First Nations peoples’ traditional knowledge and understanding of the unique Australian environment, and specifically the flora, should be valued and applied to inform planning and design of sustainable native landscapes and gardens of today and the future?
2. Australian garden style: Native garden photographs from the Garden Design Study Group show the design expertise of each gardener and the differing garden character from one region to another. There can be no single ‘Australian Style’. What are the implications?
3. Promotion of native flora: Our plant societies are very involved and accomplished in spreading the message about native plants – but are we missing ways to inform and communicate more successfully with the general gardening community to increase their acceptance of native plants in residential garden design?
