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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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Happy 4th


Happy 4th of July. It is not my favorite holiday but it has been a good day and I'm thrilled it on a Saturday which gives me an extended weekend. We worked on the laurel hedge most of the day and I managed to get some photos.

It is a glorious 72 degrees here - I actually changed into sweat pants and a flannel shirt when we came in.

I also added another tree - Redbud 'Hearts of Gold'. It is in the shady border and I just hope that the leaves will maintain the golden hues.

Cercis canadensis 'Hearts of Gold'


Other beauties -

Gaura 'Belizza Dark Pink' and Lavender 'Hidcote'

This fuchsia was given to us by our neighbor's boyfriend (who she is no longer with). He worked for a landscaper and the tag on the fuchsia said "Landscape fuchsia". It is one of our favorites -




Veronica 'Marietta' and Erigeron 'Profusion' (Santa Barbara Daisy)



Goat's Beard (Aruncus dioicus)

Hydrangea 'Annabelle'

Hydrangea 'Miss Saori'

Hydrangea 'Rotdrossel'

Hydrangea 'Snowflake'

Lily 'Midnight'

Pineapple Guava (Feijoa sellowiana)



Lily 'Roselily Natalia'

Sumac 'Tiger Eyes'

Flowers along the shady path under the dogwood tree


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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Comments

  1. ksJuly 4, 2020 at 8:40 PM

    Oh I love the color of your oil jar. I've been seeking one for at least a year and just can't seem to find the perfect size/color. The 4th was a big deal for my family when my kids were little-we went to a funky cottage resort in the redwood forest for years -swimming pool in the day, campfire at night. Those days are gone but I do like to light a smoke bomb .

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  2. Rainy Day GardenerJuly 5, 2020 at 8:18 AM

    Phillip - your gardens inspire! You have an explosion of colors in your own backyard..a perfect 4th of July celebration.

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  3. Lisa at GreenbowJuly 5, 2020 at 9:34 AM

    It was a blistering 93 here on the 4th. It is so nice to see your lovely moist floriferous garden. I love that fuchsia. I ripped out my Tiger Eye Sumac. I don't have to worry about not having one since I have since seen a couple of pop up. ha...

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  4. Endah MurniyatiJuly 5, 2020 at 11:14 PM

    beautiful flowers!

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  5. Hoover BooJuly 6, 2020 at 2:47 PM

    Ohmygoshsogorgeous! The photos even look like it was 72F, close to 90F as it was here.

    The Aruncus flowers look like little fireworks--very appropriate.

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  6. chavlinessJuly 8, 2020 at 7:09 AM

    Hydrangea 'Miss Saori' is so lovely! Quick internet search shows it with dark foliage. Dose your plant has dark foliage? Its hard to tell from the photo.

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