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

White Christmas



Well, who would have thunk it? Those silly weather people, who usually get us all in a tizz over nothing, were actually right this time. We woke up to a beautiful white Christmas. They say that 1989 was the last time it happened.

I have not ventured out yet. I took these photos from the windows. Outside the breakfast room window (a tiny room that was once a back porch) is where I have most of the bird feeders during the winter. Michael got me some new ones for Christmas this year so I will have to get them out next week. And speaking of feeding the birds, what is up with the huge price hikes on bird seed???





From the bedroom window -



Merry Christmas!


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
Email Post
Labels:

Comments

  1. Jill of All TradesDecember 25, 2010 at 7:23 AM

    Very pretty. At least it is a managable snow, one you can get around in. A white Christmas is always a bit magical! Merry Christmas...came by for the chocolate banana bread and may stay.

    ReplyDelete
  2. compost in my shoeDecember 25, 2010 at 1:02 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  3. compost in my shoeDecember 25, 2010 at 1:03 PM

    Wow, now I am jealous. A white Christmas. All you needed was Bing and the crowd throwing open the doors of the lodge to make it complete...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Annie in AustinDecember 25, 2010 at 1:56 PM

    Your white Christmas looks beautiful, Phillip - what a nice view! We had nearly an inch of rain yesterday which was a very good Christmas present for dry Austin.

    I heard the birdseed price rise has something to do with the drought in Russia and increasing speculation in the seed/grain market - no doubt spoiling the birdwatching fun for a lot of people.

    Hope 2011 is good to you & yours!

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

    ReplyDelete
  5. C. C.December 25, 2010 at 2:29 PM

    We're getting snow now (in NC). Beautiful.

    It looks like your dwarf mondo grass has completely filled in the area where you planted it a year or two ago. I'm envious. Mine is still creeping. What's your secret? Do you fertilize?

    ReplyDelete
  6. DarlaDecember 25, 2010 at 2:45 PM

    How's that for Christmas magic?! Beautiful photos. The cost of bird seed is insane! The more we buy the more it will go up.....geez.

    ReplyDelete
  7. LonaDecember 25, 2010 at 4:26 PM

    Just enough snow to make everything beautiful and sparkling.
    Merry Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lisa at GreenbowDecember 25, 2010 at 6:15 PM

    We had our first white christmas since 2004. It was so pretty. Your garden looks beautiful with a coating of sugar. I hope you and Michael had the Merriest Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  9. UnknownDecember 25, 2010 at 6:30 PM

    Atlanta got it a couple of hours after you, but it's still snowing "to beat the band" at 9:30 PM...it's an extra treat that people have Sunday to enjoy it, as well! Have a magical remainder of the holiday!

    ReplyDelete
  10. serial tillerDecember 25, 2010 at 8:00 PM

    What??!! I didn't get nearly as much "frosting" as y'all did...and I'm further north. What gives? Beautiful pics. Makes the barren gardenscape a place of enchantment huh?

    ReplyDelete
  11. WayneDecember 26, 2010 at 5:15 AM

    Snow is pretty, especially if you don't get it all winter! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. DarlaDecember 26, 2010 at 1:40 PM

    Drop by and see our 20 or so snowflakes we received today....

    ReplyDelete
  13. CarolDecember 26, 2010 at 3:21 PM

    Joyous Christmas Phillip! Your gardens are so lovely dressed in white! Beautiful! We are finally getting some snow here too.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Randy EmmittDecember 26, 2010 at 6:07 PM

    Phillip,

    Looks like you got a very heavy dusting at least. I was thinking birdseed was cheap this year? I picked up 20# of black oiled sunflower seed for $8 at Southern States just before Christmas.ies

    ReplyDelete
  15. JanDecember 26, 2010 at 6:33 PM

    The snow has certainly hit the south this year, Phillip. It looks so nice in your garden, too. I noticed you (like me) allow your plants to remain uncut to provide winter interest. Not only is this aesthetically beautiful, might it also provide extra food for your avian friends? I haven't been keeping up with the price of birdseed as this year, my husband has continued to keep us stocked up. I think he has developed my addiction;-)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Rosedale gardensDecember 26, 2010 at 7:12 PM

    It was still dark when Mom & I left Tuscumbia Christmas morning for Callaway Gardens. We received snow that night while riding through the garden lights on the open trolley. Today things still white today. We wimped out & did the drive through tonight. Will post some of the pictures on my blog when we get back.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Rosedale GardensDecember 26, 2010 at 7:17 PM

    I only feed black oil sunflower seeds. I buy it by the 50lb bags at the Coop.

    ReplyDelete
  18. GailDecember 27, 2010 at 5:20 AM

    I hope your Christmas was wonderful Phillip~Happy New Year to you and Michael, xxgail ps The snow was a sweet surprise~just enough and no more. gail

    ReplyDelete
  19. Gardener on Sherlock StreetDecember 27, 2010 at 5:44 AM

    Very pretty! We just had flurries for Christmas but a frosty world Sunday.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Phillip OliverDecember 29, 2010 at 3:07 AM

    Jill, thanks for visiting!

    Annie, I had not heard that before. I hope Russia gets more rain this year!

    C.C., actually it hasn't filled in that thickly. I guess the snow makes it look that way.

    ReplyDelete
  21. The Redneck RosarianDecember 29, 2010 at 5:53 AM

    Phillip, Great photos of your garden in white! What a joy to have a Christmas snow in Alabama. We were in Nashville and enjoyed an inch or two there. Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment