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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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Plant Sale

If you are in the area tomorrow (Saturday), stop by the Plant Sale at the Farmer's Market (Cox Creek Parkway and Chisholm Rd.). This is a joint effort sponsored by the Shoals Beautification Alliance (Master Gardener's, Shoals Wildflower Society and the Men's Garden Club). All proceeds go to area beautification projects. We have ferns, hostas, native plants, perennials, shrubs and over 30 kinds of trees. Stop by and say hello - I'll be working the Shrubs section!
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  1. lisaApril 25, 2008 at 9:39 AM

    Sounds like fun! Wish I could stop by, but it's a bit of a drive. ;-) Pretty cool that you have a "Men's Garden Club".

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  2. AnonymousApril 25, 2008 at 4:58 PM

    I'll be by; let's hope the weather cooperates. We've gotten wonderful plants in the past; last year we were able to buy butterfly weed that actually grew! [Lots of credit goes to the person who transplanted it.] It's worth a trip to Florence if you're anywhere nearby - the plants are great, everyone's willing to give out helpful information, and the prices are really good.

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  3. KC MO Garden GuyApril 27, 2008 at 5:15 AM

    Hope your sale went well! I agree with Lisa pretty cool that there is a Men's Garden Club. I can count on one hand the number of men in the garden club I belong to. I think most of them just bring their wife to the meeting or they are widowed and looking for another wife! Whatever works.

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  4. Phillip OliverApril 27, 2008 at 7:07 AM

    I think the sale was a success. I haven't heard yet how much money was made but there were a lot of people there and not many plants left.

    The Men's Garden Club is pretty active. I just recently joined. I wish there were younger guys in it - I think I'm the youngest and I'm no spring chicken. But everybody I've met is super nice.

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