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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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Gardening: Not for the Faint of Heart

My friend Rebecca posted this on her blog (a private blog) and she gave me permission to repost it here. I didn't know she was taking photos. It does look a bit scary doesn't it?!!


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My friend Phillip and I went to the land fill the other day to get mulch/dirt for our gardens.  Usually we have to load our trucks ourselves, which is a bit of work.  This time, a very helpful city employee was there and loaded our trucks for us.  It was great to have the help.  It saved us lots of time and effort.  At the same time, it was a little unnerving to have that giant machine so close to our vehicles, especially while we were in the vehicles!





Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. BeckyMay 7, 2012 at 9:50 AM

    It's such a satisfying thump when the mulch hits the bed of the truck. As long a only the view out the rear window disappears all is well. It's great to get all that mulch so fast. Actually I think it's less stress to be in the truck than to see the action from a distance.

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  2. Lisa at GreenbowMay 7, 2012 at 11:18 AM

    We get our mulch this way all the time. I can't imagine having to shovel it all INTO the truck and then having to unload it too. UGH.
    Do you have to pay for your mulch?? It would be worth it if it was free.

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  3. Phillip OliverMay 7, 2012 at 11:23 AM

    Lisa, it is free but it is rare to have someone load it for you. You usually have to load yourself. A lot of work!

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  4. Rob (ourfrenchgarden)May 7, 2012 at 12:01 PM

    Excellent. A truck of the good stuff loaded for free. I know how much work a JCB or similar saves!

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  5. Gardener on Sherlock StreetMay 7, 2012 at 6:49 PM

    Our city provided equipment to load trucks once when the compost site was new to encourage people to take some home. Now, it's shovel, shovel, shovel. It is nerve racking but they know better than you how close they are to your truck. Hope it makes your garden grow!!!

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  6. UnknownMay 8, 2012 at 7:24 AM

    The only way we get it loaded for us is to hand the man some cash!

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  7. Rosedale GardenMay 9, 2012 at 3:57 AM

    Phillip, you need to ride with me out to the landfill to show me where to get a load. My big Ram1500 will take a while to fill up and unloaded. Our landfill in Tuscumbia doesn't offer it. Sheffield utilities offered it at one time & I heard they would load. I need call them. Have fun using it. Mary

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  8. PatriciaMay 10, 2012 at 7:22 AM

    Oh if only I had a truck! Had some delivered a years ago, I'm just now getting through all of it.

    Very cool that the city worker helped you out; that would never happen in my neck of the woods.
    I miss the south!

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