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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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City of ice and snow

Our temporary home (in Portland)

After the deluge of rain that hit Portland in December, there was a period of sunny days and brisk, frigid winds. The clouds returned Saturday night and we awakened to a beautiful blanket of snow on Sunday morning.  The Portland and Vancouver area sits in the Willamette Valley, which is a bit insulated from the rougher weather that surrounds us. Snow events are infrequent (the last significant one was almost 2 years ago) and it pretty much the same scenario as happens in Alabama - schools close, grocery isles are invaded and cars spin and slide. 

 Last night, freezing rain replaced the snow. This morning there has been little traffic on our street, so far no garbage and recycle pick-up, but the sun is peaking out from behind the clouds and the ice is melting. Michael banished me from the house while he mopped and vacuumed. I grabbed my camera and took a walk around the neighborhood.

Everything - plants, sidewalks and streets - is encased in snow and thin sheets of ice. I did not find it treacherous for walking. I enjoyed the loud crunch under my feet. An occasional crash from falling ice from the power lines and trees was probably the most hazardous aspect of the journey.

 In other news, the appraisal on the house has been completed and it is possible that our closing date could happen in about 2 weeks. That is if the underwriters (a word I am beginning to despise) do not come up with any more requests. It should happen around the time that I will be returning to Alabama to wrap up everything there. We just hope that we can get in the house and have electricity and all that good stuff turned on. I shudder to think about Michael stuck in a house with no electricity...




























Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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