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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 First Winter Snow of 2021

 

The forecasters got it right this time. We got around 2" overnight and it has been steadily snowing this morning. The bulk is supposed to be today and tonight.

Last night, I took this shot looking out the bathroom window. It had been snowing all afternoon but very little was sticking.


 And that same view this morning -


I was out there for about a half hour, refreshing the hummingbird feeders and knocking snow off the branches. The Hinoki cypress was especially concerning -


That is a chore that I will have to repeat later in the day if the snow continues.








Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

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Comments

  1. Kris PetersonFebruary 12, 2021 at 8:48 PM

    Snow is always very pretty in pictures but I think the reality of dealing with in covering my garden would turn me into a nervous wreck. I hope your garden comes through the experience unscathed. Phillip.

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  2. Lee@A Guide to Northeastern GardeningFebruary 13, 2021 at 8:45 AM

    We’ve gotten several snow storms this season here on Long Island, more than we have gotten in years. The branches of my newly planted Hoogendorn Holly (planted last summer) are weighted under a blanket of heavy snow and I am worried about them breaking, but don’t want to start moving them in fear that the ice and snow could snap the branches right off. I am keeping fingers crossed and hoping that natural melting will allow the branches to eventually spring back. Good luck with you garden and spring will be here soon (well almost soon!)

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  3. Lisa at GreenbowFebruary 13, 2021 at 8:52 AM

    The snow adds an enchanting feeling to your garden.

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  4. chavlinessFebruary 14, 2021 at 9:16 AM

    I could have been perfectly happy without this late winter snow system blowing through. I think for most, the meltdown will start taking place on Monday; not a moment too soon. The snow covered bird house is particularly charming.

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  5. chavlinessFebruary 14, 2021 at 9:16 AM

    I could have been perfectly happy without this late winter snow system blowing through. I think for most, the meltdown will start taking place on Monday; not a moment too soon. The snow covered bird house is particularly charming.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Rainy Day GardenerFebruary 19, 2021 at 2:37 PM

    The snow was beautiful in your gardens. I wish we would have just had snow instead of the ice. Lovely pics as always.

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