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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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Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. NicFebruary 26, 2011 at 1:52 PM

    So pretty!

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  2. C. C.February 26, 2011 at 2:25 PM

    Jealous! I've only got 4 blooms now out of hundreds of plants. Maybe in a couple of weeks I'll be able to make a beautiful bouquet.

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  3. rebeccaFebruary 26, 2011 at 3:29 PM

    Wow! Those are beautiful! Good luck with your talks on roses.

    /Z and I are on our own again until next Friday night. Todd left this past Thursday a.m. I will have to watch the oscars without him.

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  4. Catherine@AGardenerinProgressFebruary 26, 2011 at 4:13 PM

    Those are so pretty! No daffodils blooming here yet, but even if they were I probably wouldn't have enough for a bouquet like that.

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  5. Tallulah's Antique ClosetFebruary 26, 2011 at 6:14 PM

    Very pretty! I am so looking foward to seeing our roses bloom again. Thanks for sharing....Julian

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  6. KellyFebruary 26, 2011 at 6:52 PM

    Your beautiful flowers are the next best thing of having my own. Mine are coming up nicely though. Spring is just a few weeks away.
    Thanks for sharing!

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  7. Lisa at GreenbowFebruary 27, 2011 at 8:14 AM

    What a bunch of sunshine. They certainly make my heart go pitty patter and I can't even smell them. I don't even have buds yet. It won't be long if the temps stay as warm as they predict this coming week.

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  8. ConnorFebruary 27, 2011 at 9:12 AM

    Ellison and I just planted over 60 random bulbs in the yard! I can not wait to what comes up! Spring is here! hallelujah!

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  9. MashaFebruary 27, 2011 at 3:07 PM

    Beautiful! You are lucky to have so many flowers to pick, even when the roses are still asleep.

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  10. LesFebruary 27, 2011 at 3:24 PM

    I can smell them from here! My first opened this week, only one so certainly not enough for a vase.

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  11. Hoover BooFebruary 27, 2011 at 6:45 PM

    Oh beauty!

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  12. EveFebruary 27, 2011 at 7:15 PM

    They are so beautiful Phillip! I have them all over my yard now. Isn't the color in the yard just the thing!!!

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  13. meemsnycFebruary 27, 2011 at 10:59 PM

    Oh wow, just gorgeous.

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  14. DarlaFebruary 28, 2011 at 3:45 AM

    What a gorgeous bouquet!

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  15. GailFebruary 28, 2011 at 5:51 AM

    Lovely...

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  16. LolaFebruary 28, 2011 at 3:58 PM

    I like it. Sure wish I knew the name of the orange center/yellow outer Petals.

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  17. AnonymousMarch 1, 2011 at 3:38 AM

    Several of mine have opened overnight. So have my Lenten rose. If I can get home at a decent time I'll get some pictures. Tulip trees on the way to work are just fantastic.

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