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...
Those peonies are wonderful. What a beautiful garden--must have been fun to photograph.
ReplyDeleteOh my, that last peony peeking out of the border is huge. A lovely garden.
ReplyDeleteYes, Matthew's garden is so wonderful! I kicked myself a couple of years ago when the bloggers swap took place there and I neglected to take good photos to post. Thanks for reminding me of how gorgeous all those peonies are. I hope your Embothrium puts on some growth this year. I've heard they tend to languish at first and then put on a growth spurt.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the photos! I’ve been to Matthew’s but keep missing hid open gardens. Careful what you wish for, my Embothrium shot up so fast it blooms 10 or more feet up. The flowers are so high I can’t see them up close.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous flower in a beautiful garden. I've only seen it through bloggers' posts thus far. Those Peonies are so impressive I wish I had room for one of those beauties.
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