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The Gardens of Mien Ruys - a book review

I don't know how I missed her, but I was totally unfamiliar with Mien Ruys. A beautiful new book The Gardens of Mien Ruys details her life and work. Born in the Netherlands in 1904, she was the daughter of Bonne Ruys, who founded Moerheim Nursery in 1888. She grew up in a liberal atmosphere and encouraged to learn and study. She found great comfort in the natural world around her and learned all the plants in her father's nursery at a young age. After leaving school at the age of 19, she knew that she wanted to work in the garden center. The Moerheim Nursery, in addition to selling plants, had an on-site design studio where they published a detailed catalog and sold landscape design plans to customers. It was in the design studio where Ruys first began to work and she was soon encouraged to venture beyond her country and study abroad. Her father's connections helped her secure a traineeship with Wallace & Sons Nursery in Tunbridge Wells in England. There, she met Gertr...
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Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers our there and happy birthday to my mother, who is 72 today! It has been a beautiful weekend. Michael cut some flowers yesterday and made this arrangement. It has roses (Alba Meidiland, Marjorie Fair, Tradescant, Lyric, The Fairy and Lamarque), peonies, hydrangea, spirea and oakleaf hydrangea. I think it so beautiful. I don't why I don't cut flowers more often.




Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. AnonymousMay 8, 2011 at 11:55 AM

    BEST WISHES FOR YOUR MOM !!! My mom has the birthday on the same, too ! Her name is Stanisława.
    Have a nice day. Bye! Kate from Poland.

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  2. EveMay 8, 2011 at 6:16 PM

    SO beautiful!! It really was a special day!

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  3. serial tillerMay 8, 2011 at 7:54 PM

    You are lucky to have your mother still. You are a smart son to spend today with her. Did Michael tell you Glen and I visited your garden today? Sorry we missed you but Michael made us feel welcome. I took a few cuttings of things that I still desperately want to propagate (Buff Beauty and Veichenblau to name 2). When are you ever going to come see my garden and carry home some of my stuff? LOL I didn't want to bother Michael (he was busy sewing) when we left. Thanks to you both for being such nice garden people.

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  4. sweetbayMay 9, 2011 at 9:52 AM

    Michael arrangement is beautiful.

    You asked about the rugosas... The rugosas do like it here in central NC. The soil is very acid and the summers don't bother them. I have alba, rubra, Foxi Pavement, Hansa, and Sir Thomas Lipton. We gave STL to my MIL a few years ago and I was able to root a cutting from it. (Clotilde Soupert genes must have helped with that, as I didn't think rugosas rooted well in general.)

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  5. scottweberpdxMay 9, 2011 at 11:19 AM

    So gorgeous...ver, very charming!

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  6. Lisa at GreenbowMay 9, 2011 at 1:55 PM

    Thank you Phillip for sharing your Mom's arrangement. It is gorgeous. I know your Mom appreciated the effort.

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  7. rebeccaMay 9, 2011 at 7:18 PM

    Oh Phillip! I just read and saw what you had to do to that beautiful tree!!!!!!!! I'm so sorry!

    Happy Birthday to your mom.

    Rebecca

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  8. Dirt PrincessMay 9, 2011 at 8:08 PM

    what a gorgeous arrangement!!!! You should cut more flowers, enjoy them.

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  9. AnonymousMay 9, 2011 at 11:45 PM

    The arrangement is beautiful. Michael is very talented.

    Pat Moore
    Muscle Shoals, Alabama

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  10. AnonymousMay 10, 2011 at 4:49 AM

    Like you, Phillip, I find it hard to cut my flowers. But that arrangement is GORGEOUS! Was it for you or Mom? Sorry about losing your tree, it must be sad. Will you replace it, or fill in with flowers? You are right, our lawn is indeed lush. That's my hubby's pride and joy, but remember, we are WAY above normal for rainfall, so it's especially green this spring.

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  11. Phillip OliverMay 10, 2011 at 6:28 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. Phillip OliverMay 10, 2011 at 6:29 AM

    Thanks Kate, it is exciting to see someone here on my blog from Poland!

    Jennifer, I e-mailed you!

    Sweetbay, I think Hansa and FJ Grootendorst are the only rugosas I have at the moment. They have always done really well.

    MsRobin, the arrangement stayed with us. I took my mother a chocolate cake instead!

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  13. LesMay 13, 2011 at 5:28 PM

    I hate having anything cut out of my garden to bring in the house, so it has to be a special occasion. I guess Mother's Day would be reason enough, or if a forecasted storm was going to cause a beat down. I hope you mother had a delightful birthday.

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  14. Annie in AustinMay 16, 2011 at 9:22 PM

    After all, Phillip... it's much more sensible to carry the chocolate cake to your mom and not try to transport Michael's gorgeous flower arrangement! How fun that your mother's birthday fell on Mother's Day.

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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