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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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Mid-November blooms

I'm a little late for Gardener's Bloom Day!

The sasanqua camellias are blooming -

'Hana Jiman'



'Snow Flurry'



'Bonanza'



Mexican Sage (Salvia leucantha)



The colorful foliage of Sweet Shrub (Calycanthus floridus)



Hyacinth Bean



Mums



Red Maple



Lespedeza



The brilliant crimson leaves of a pear tree hover over a group of hydrangeas



This is Scudder, a new addition to the family. He appeared as a stray and has been around for the past several weeks. He was on top of the garden wall today.



And here is the real Queen of the Roost - Isabella. She is fifteen years old and she's not too keen on Scudder.

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  1. LostRosesNovember 17, 2007 at 11:15 PM

    Well it was worth the wait, Phillip. Camellias and fall foliage all in one post, very nice. Hope the kitties get used to one another!

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  2. Carol MichelNovember 18, 2007 at 2:23 AM

    Late is just fine when you bring us camellias like those! Thanks for joining in with bloom day,

    Carol, May Dreams Gardens

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  3. lisaNovember 19, 2007 at 7:48 AM

    Nice post! I take it you aren't in the "drought zone"?

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  4. Phillip OliverNovember 19, 2007 at 7:54 AM

    Lisa, we have had a terrible drought this year! We did get a good rain a few weeks ago. The last I heard, we are about 17 inches under average.

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  5. Annie in AustinNovember 19, 2007 at 11:39 AM

    Oh, Phillip - I should be happy just to have my two camellias live at all in my alkaline soil, but I would so love a delicate looking flower like that 'Hana Jiman'. Any camellias I've seen around Austin are the rosier tones.

    You have a post filled with lovely blooms, and your photographs are perfect - yes, definitely worth the wait!

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

    PS You and Isabella have such royal names - why'd the new guy get stuck with 'Scudder'? Are you a Heinlein fan?

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  6. Phillip OliverNovember 19, 2007 at 5:16 PM

    Annie, I'm not familiar with Heinlein's Scudder. I got the name from "Maurice" by E.M. Forster (and the movie is a favorite of mine). The character of Scudder is a gardener. I've always to name a cat that.

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  7. Annie in AustinNovember 19, 2007 at 7:11 PM

    Ah, Phillip - that makes much more sense! Heinlein's character of that name was not a nice guy.

    Annie

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  8. AnonymousNovember 21, 2007 at 7:58 PM

    Terrific photos, Phillip; the hyacinth bean, in particular, is so dramatic. And how interesting to see the clear yellow leaf color on the lespedeza. I didn't realize the plant did that. Thanks for sharing your garden!

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