About Bruce

  • Orono Resident, 22 years

    My wife Linne and I have been happily married for 27 years, and we love staying active—skiing, boating, and spending time with friends and family. We’ve got three kids and seven grandkids who keep life fun and full.

    We’ve called Orono home for 22 years, and we truly love everything about it. Whether we’re walking or biking the Luce Line, taking our dog Jack to the park, boating on Lake Minnetonka, or trying our luck at the meat raffle at The Narrows, there’s always something to enjoy. We’re big fans of the local restaurant scene—not just in Orono, but all around the area. One of our favorite little things? Watching deer wander through our yard in late summer, snacking on apples. It’s those everyday moments in nature that really make Orono special.

  • Landscape Architect

    Over the course of my 50-year career as a landscape architect, I’ve had the privilege of bringing creativity to life by designing natural and whimsical environments for renowned destinations including the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, the Minneapolis Convention Center, Disney, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld.

  • Orono Planning Commissioner, 7 years

    I served on the Orono Planning Commission from 2012 to 2019, where I gained a deep appreciation for the vision and values established by past councils and commissioners. That experience strengthened my commitment to preserving our community’s irreplaceable natural amenities and upholding the high quality of life that makes Orono so special.

  • Montrose City Council Member

    Public service has always been an important part of my life. I had the honor of serving on the Montrose City Council from 1976 to 1977, gaining early insight into the responsibilities and impact of local government.

  • Youth Sports Coach & Referee

    In addition to my professional work, I’ve been active in youth sports, coaching boys' hockey and girls' softball and serving as a referee for both boys' and girls' high school hockey

  • President, ASLA, Minnesota

    As the president of the American Society of Landscape Architects, Minnesota, I  lead the chapter's efforts to advance landscape architecture through advocacy, communication, education, and fellowship, representing the interests of Minnesota's landscape architects.

Q & A with Bruce

According to landscape architect Bruce Lemke, every one of his own nature-based sculptures begins with a story that he creates for himself to get his creative juices flowing.

Take, for example, the Orono resident’s whimsical upside-down tree house, which was part of the “Amazing Spaces, Places and Escapes: Re-imagining Treehouses” exhibition at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum from May through September. He knew he wanted to offer “a different take on a treehouse” as a starting point for the commissioned project, his fifth at the arboretum, so he created a fictional backstory about friend and fellow landscape architect James Rand, who played a joke on Lemke, all in good fun, about 10 years ago. In the spirit of returning the favor, the story of the upside-down house became the tale of an architect “who could never get it right” when it came to building a treehouse—to the point of reading his detailed plans upside down, hence the structure of the building.

I’d really enjoy the chance to sit down and get to know you. Let’s have coffee!

Letters to the Editor

I make it a priority to stay informed about current events by reading the newspaper from front to back every day. Writing has always been a passion of mine, and I’m especially driven by the opportunity to raise awareness and share my perspectives on important issues. I regularly submit letters to the editor and am proud to have had several of my pieces published.

Family, friends, hobbies and more…

  • Hockey Finder Hockey League Player

  • Married to my wife, Linnie for 27 years!

  • We love being on the water.

  • Sometimes I'm the Easter Bunny...

  • My good boy, Jack at the Orono Dog Park.

  • Gopher for life

  • Cruisin' in my '79 Volkswagen Convertible

  • Boating on Tonka!