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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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The Wall Project



Apparently there is an issue with Blogger and photos are not showing up. They are working on the issue.

 So, the above photo that you probably cannot see at the moment, is one of the wall project. We've had some really nice days to work on it. I am ready for it to be over. It is a project that I wish I had hired a professional to do. I am just not cut out for this type of work! Thankfully, the wall will be stuccoed and painted to hide the imperfections (and there are many!)


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. Lucy Corrander Now in Halifax!April 20, 2020 at 12:15 PM

    I hadn't realised blogger is having picture problems. A picture vanished from one of my recent posts so I replaced it. I thought it must have been something to do with the way I'd loaded it. Though come to think of it I have visited one blog today where ALL the photos had gone. Yours, fortunately, is here. That wall looks as if it has an impressively regular curve. Hard work. Well done.

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  2. Lisa at GreenbowApril 20, 2020 at 12:50 PM

    I can see your photo Phillip. Most of the pictures left my blog too. That is so annoying.
    Your wall looks great from here. I know it will be wonderful when you finish. Can't wait to see what color and how high you make it.

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  3. Lisa at GreenbowApril 20, 2020 at 12:51 PM

    I just looked at the photo again. Is that wall serpentine? I sure looks like it. No wonder it is so difficult.

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  4. Hoover BooApril 20, 2020 at 1:33 PM

    I can see your wall. I am impressed and amazed you took it on as a DIY project. I'd be hopeless at masonry. What is the tree to the left of the wall? An Acer palmatum? Lovely dainty, graceful!

    Also like the rubber duckies in the water.

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  5. Gardener on Sherlock StreetApril 20, 2020 at 2:50 PM

    I can see this one! Keep at it!

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  6. chavlinessApril 21, 2020 at 7:33 AM

    The photos from GBBD are visible today (weren’t a few days ago), as is today’s “teaser “photo. Not sure what flaws you see in this major undertaking. The wall looks pretty darn fabulous to me.

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  7. danger gardenApril 21, 2020 at 9:22 AM

    Back when our patio and retaining wall was going in Andrew and I thought we'd build the wall ourselves. The first trip to Home Depot for supplies and we abandoned that idea and hired professionals (we did put in the patio ourselves). Our wall wouldn't have lasted the first winter I'm afraid (or maybe our marriage wouldn't have lasted the wall construction?). On the other had your wall looks amazing! You (and Michael) should be proud.

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