Skip to main content

Featured

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...
5 comments
Read more
Labels

Irene & Jim Fowler's garden in Greenhill



Irene Fowler is an artist, as anyone might guess while strolling through her exquisite woodland garden. Like Pam Harper, she is a master at combining plants in striking combinations that accentuate form, texture and color. I had a field day photographing her garden because at every turn I would find perfect visual vignettes.

The garden lies in a patch of trees behind the Fowler's house. They also garden in the areas surrounding their house, sunnier areas with less trees, but the woodland garden is an extraordinary treat. The Fowler's garden is often featured on garden tours. If you have the chance to see it, do it! It was well worth the drive (they live in the rural Greenhill community).



































Email Post
Labels:

Comments

  1. CarolNovember 3, 2010 at 1:03 AM

    Congratulations Phillip! Gorgeous photos of an amazing garden. Is the Magazine online? ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tallulah's Antique ClosetNovember 3, 2010 at 1:28 AM

    That is a beautiful garden! thanks for sharing....Julian

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rob (ourfrenchgarden)November 3, 2010 at 1:39 AM

    Well done Phillip!

    ReplyDelete
  4. DarlaNovember 3, 2010 at 3:38 AM

    Congrats for sure! What a great area they have created..

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lisa at GreenbowNovember 3, 2010 at 4:25 AM

    Congrats on the Cover billing. Wow with photos like these I can see how it was such a hit. I would love to see this garden.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousNovember 3, 2010 at 4:28 AM

    Way to go, Phillip! Any of the photos were cover quality, but I love the one they chose. That is a gorgeous garden, almost as nice as your own. :-)
    Frances

    ReplyDelete
  7. LesNovember 3, 2010 at 4:31 AM

    Congratulations, that is quite the accomplishment.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The Redneck RosarianNovember 3, 2010 at 4:33 AM

    Great work!

    ReplyDelete
  9. F CameronNovember 3, 2010 at 5:59 AM

    Congratulations! What beautiful photos you took of the gardens.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sweet Home and Garden CarolinaNovember 3, 2010 at 6:10 AM

    Stunning photos of the garden. Love the design of the woodland garden as well - it looks so natural and lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Gardener on Sherlock StreetNovember 3, 2010 at 8:58 AM

    Beautiful garden. Thanks for sharing the photos. Congrats on making the cover!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Mother Nature's Garden EvolutionNovember 3, 2010 at 9:01 AM

    Congratulations! It is a beautiful garden.

    ReplyDelete
  13. GailNovember 3, 2010 at 11:32 AM

    That's a beautiful cover shot Phillip! Congrats! The garden is lovely~and as Frances said~almost as nice as your! gail

    ReplyDelete
  14. Pam/DiggingNovember 3, 2010 at 12:11 PM

    Congratulations! What a beautiful garden. Your photos are divine. Maybe eventually you can scan a copy of the article to post on your blog for those of us who can't get the magazine?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Phillip OliverNovember 3, 2010 at 12:24 PM

    Carol, some of the magazine's articles are online (google Alabama Gardener) but mine isn't.

    Frances, most of these photos are the ones they didn't use.

    Thanks everybody!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Jeff VandiverNovember 3, 2010 at 12:40 PM

    You're the man, Phillip! Wow, their garden is beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  17. debsgardenNovember 3, 2010 at 9:25 PM

    Fantastic! I'm off to find a copy of the magazine tomorrow! That garden is an inspiration to me.

    ReplyDelete
  18. AnonymousNovember 4, 2010 at 6:08 AM

    Oh my gosh, what a beautiful garden! Congratulations on your article! I'd love to see this garden sometime. Rebecca

    ReplyDelete
  19. C. C.November 4, 2010 at 7:14 AM

    If those are the photos that were NOT included, I can only imagine the beautiful ones that WERE. I'm going to try to find a copy of this magazine -- your article/photos will give me some ideas for my own woodland garden. Lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Phillip OliverNovember 4, 2010 at 7:30 AM

    Most of the photos they used in the article were the wider shots, which is what they prefer. I thought some of the best ones were the closer shots though.

    ReplyDelete
  21. sweetbayNovember 4, 2010 at 9:02 AM

    Contratulations Phillip! What a gorgeous garden and beautiful shots!

    ReplyDelete
  22. NicNovember 4, 2010 at 11:46 AM

    Congratulations and thank you for sharing the extra pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  23. AnonymousNovember 4, 2010 at 3:03 PM

    Phillip, congratulations!! That is one peaceful and fabulous garden. Since I cannot get the magazine I do hope you will share the article on your blog.
    Your photos are first rate!! BTW what is that lovely little white spike flowering with what I assume to be Phlox divericata?
    xsxs

    ReplyDelete
  24. AnonymousNovember 5, 2010 at 8:27 AM

    Beautiful! Where can I find that magazine in Florence? Would Books-a-million carry it?

    ReplyDelete
  25. Phillip OliverNovember 5, 2010 at 9:12 AM

    Sandra, I will see what I can do about posting the article.

    Hasuko, yes, Books-A-Million carries it or at least they did the last time I checked.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Annie in AustinNovember 8, 2010 at 8:15 AM

    What a dreamy garden, Phillip - and your photos make the viewer want to be there. Congratulations on being the cover story!

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

    ReplyDelete
  27. scottweberpdxNovember 10, 2010 at 2:16 PM

    congratulations...looks like an amazing garden...love those wooded garden photos

    ReplyDelete
  28. SheilaNovember 11, 2010 at 8:04 AM

    Oh!!! Those photos are just too beautiful! Congratulations. I am going to bookmark this post and revisit often! When is your book coming out?

    ReplyDelete
  29. EveNovember 22, 2010 at 4:00 PM

    Wow this is a beautiful garden! I'll be looking for the magazine.

    ReplyDelete
  30. debsgardenDecember 7, 2010 at 8:21 PM

    I finally got my hands on one of these magazines. It was the last one at Petals From the Past in Jemison. Fabulous garden! Your article is well written, and the photos are great. I see things I want to implement in my own woodlands. I also enjoyed reading your other article in the same issue, as well as the rest of the magazine. I am going to order a subscription!

    ReplyDelete
  31. EveDecember 18, 2010 at 12:58 PM

    Got the magazine yesterday Phillip! Wonderful article, beautiful photos! I will have to put a note to visit the Fowler Garden for sure!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment