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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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Late winter arrangement



We are having a few friends over tonight to watch the Oscars. I picked some camellias, daffodils and hellebores and Michael did an arrangement for the kitchen.

It is winter?? You would not know from the temperatures. Close to 70 today. I felt guilty about not getting out and working but there was too much to do inside. Enjoy the Oscars if you watching!

 

 

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. serial tillerFebruary 26, 2012 at 4:34 PM

    I love to make arrangements to enjoy indoors almost as much as I like growing them. This is beautiful!

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  2. Lisa at GreenbowFebruary 27, 2012 at 3:38 AM

    Well done Michael. This arrangement looks more like spring than winter. Beautiful.

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  3. EveFebruary 27, 2012 at 4:15 AM

    That is just beautiful! Wish I had Michael's talent!

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  4. Dirty Girl GardeningFebruary 27, 2012 at 9:12 AM

    Gorgeous arrangements, I bet the aroma is outrageous!!

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  5. Rosedale GardenFebruary 28, 2012 at 3:48 AM

    Very pretty. I'm not sure what's happened to my camelia's. They are looking sad like they've been through a harse winter. Mary

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  6. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2012 at 5:14 AM

    Absolutely beautiful!


    Sable

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  7. Gardening Under The InfluenceFebruary 28, 2012 at 6:50 AM

    Red carpet arrangement!

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  8. GailFebruary 29, 2012 at 1:26 PM

    That's a beautiful arrangement Phillip. Hope the party was fun. gail

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  9. sweetbayMarch 1, 2012 at 8:32 PM

    Beautiful arrangement. You'd never know it was the beginning of March here either -- got to 80 degrees here today!

    You asked about the apple trees -- I'm no expert, but here's what we did: sticky fake apples for maggotfly and another trap for other pests too. That's it. I think if you want pretty fruit you probably do have to spray -- we didn't in the past and used the apples for cooking.

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  10. Tatyana@MySecretGardenMarch 1, 2012 at 9:14 PM

    Phillip, Michaeeel, it is one lovely arrangements!

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  11. AnonymousMarch 3, 2012 at 9:10 PM

    Absolutely gorgeous!

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  12. DariciaMarch 4, 2012 at 11:13 AM

    wow, that arrangement is absolutely beautiful!

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