Thursday, February 25, 2010

Lawrie Metcalf.

Lawrie (Lawrence) Metcalf was made a Companion of the Queens Service Order in the New Year Honours 2010. He is one of New Zealand’s most well known and authoritative authors of books about New Zealand plants.

Lawrie was Assistant Director of the Christchurch Botanic Garden for over 20 years then moving to Invercargill as Director of Parks and Recreation before retiring to Mapua in the Nelson area.

He was extremely active in the Canterbury Botanical Society, NZ Institute of Parks and Recreation, the Royal NZ Institute of Horticulture and other groups. Through his involvement on groups and committees he made a great contribution to horticulture, parks, reserves, conservation, education and recreation in New Zealand. He has been recognised for much of this work by his peers.

His books are well researched and well written and accompanied by his own photographs and line drawings. The books usually provide a full and précis botanical description of the plant, a horticultural description and commentary on the use of the plant in the garden.

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