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...
Phillip tell me about the rose campion. I just ordered seeds of a white rose campion and would love to know how it does for you. Sun or shade? Self seeding? Any info would be helpful. I am really focused on filling in the white garden here.
ReplyDeleteDavid, it is a wonderful old fashioned annual that reseeds freely. It does fine in my garden with just a little sun - maybe 3 or 4 hours a day. It may pop up in surprising places but you can easily pull it out.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beauty. Any nibbles on your house?
ReplyDeleteVery nice Phillip! Any bites on the house yet?
ReplyDeleteLisa and Carol, a few lookers but nothing serious yet. I am afraid the garden is going to be a liability. :(
ReplyDeleteI love that China Doll rose! I like it combined with the bright Rose Campion.
ReplyDeleteAre you serious?? It's CRAZY that your beautiful garden is seen as a liability.
ReplyDeleteIs it because people are intimidated by the idea of maintaining it? Or do that many people really prefer a sterile lawn?
As for rose campion, I feel like a failure because I've tried direct sowing it a few times in the garden and have never gotten any results. (Either that or I've mistaken the seedlings for weeds and accidentally killed them, which of course is a possibility.)
I probably need to find annual seedlings someday, plant them and then let them self-sow...
the right person will come along. one that will take good care of it!
ReplyDeleteAaron, I am sure it would be the maintenance! There are not a lot of people that enjoy that! haha
ReplyDeleteBeautiful roses :)
ReplyDeleteHave you decided if any of your roses will be coming with you when you move?
Not really Emily!
ReplyDeletePhillip, You shared a rose with me several years ago and I believe it is the weeping china doll. It is very ruffled and I used it to make some beautiful arrangements for a church luncheon. You weren't sure at the time what rose you were sharing. Just wanted to say thanks. Sherry
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