The gathering also doubled as an official sod-turning ceremony for the centre’s first two independent living units, which community body Tuapeka Health Incorporated (THI) hopes to begin building before June.
Maggie’s Garden Show ran from 1992 to 2003, hosted by the eponymous Maggie Barry, alongside Jim Mora and "Bug Man" Ruud Kleinpaste.
Although Mrs Barry could not attend the event, Mr Kleinpaste was present as guest of honour, and delighted a crowd of about 100 with what he described as a little "full frontal nerd-ity".
He said helping create a garden in 24 hours for the first time was an "extraordinary" experience.
"We didn’t really know what we were doing. Nowadays it’s a fairly common TV idea, but then we were making it up as we went along.
"It’s a credit to the Lawrence community then and now that everyone mucked in, and we were able to achieve this result that still looks amazing today."
Mr Kleinpaste, whose latest project is focused on training teachers to "take the curriculum outdoors", described Lawrence as an "exemplar" for community action New Zealand-wide.
"Lawrence is all about community, and it’s only through community we can help create nature-literate young Kiwis by getting them involved in outdoor projects like this.
"It was this project, 20 years ago, that inspired me."
THI chairman Mark Hay echoed Mr Kleinpaste’s views on Lawrence.
"We’ve [local woman] Julene McCorkindale to thank for instigating the original garden makeover, which eventually involved pretty much everyone in town.
"It was a typical Lawrence ‘can-do, must-do’ deal, and it’s great to be moving forward with another of those projects today in the shape of our new independent living units here at the health centre.
"We’re looking forward to producing another facility the town can be proud of."
