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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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Edging the Pan Garden



A long overdue project is in the bag. I've always thought that the Pan Garden (the small garden right off the deck and the very first area I created in this garden) would look better with a rock edging. For years, we've put up with the heavy plastic edging and while it does keep the grass from creeping into the beds, it doesn't stay in place that well and stone looks so much better. 

Before -



After - 



Michael is to be credited with this - he did virtually all the work. I transported the pavers from the truck to the garden and helped dispose of the soil he removed. Here he is hard at work - 


We have more of the plastic edging around the front pathway and borders that I would eventually like to replace. I really love the rusty steel edging but I'm still not sure where one buys it. I do have some leads that I have not followed up on. Another day!


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. AnonymousMay 5, 2022 at 6:22 AM

    Kudos to Michael for a job well done. Nice to have found a dry enough day to finish this job!

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    1. Phillip OliverMay 5, 2022 at 7:36 AM

      Yes and just in time. Back to more rain today!

      Delete
  2. AnonymousMay 5, 2022 at 6:31 AM

    Nice job by Michael! Looks really good. Funny I'm pondering doing the same sort of edging in my veg/cutting garden. That plastic edging is not satisfactory--the blocks look so much better.

    Commenting Anonymous because of the new browser/blogspot problem with third-party cookie blocking. --Hoov (pieceofeden)

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    1. Phillip OliverMay 5, 2022 at 7:37 AM

      Oh good to hear from you. I had trouble commenting on your blog last week.

      Delete
  3. Kris PetersonMay 5, 2022 at 12:02 PM

    Nicely done! It's great to have a partner's help in the garden. I'd probably still be removing lawn and laying flagstones if I hadn't had similar help.

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  4. AnonymousMay 6, 2022 at 4:51 AM

    Is that Pan watching over Michael’s work? Is he carrying a planter on his head?

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    1. Phillip OliverMay 6, 2022 at 7:39 AM

      It is a planter and I haven't even put plants in yet. He came without it and we found the planter at a box store that incredibly matched it.

      Delete
  5. Barbara H.May 6, 2022 at 7:04 AM

    Hurray for Michael. Great job. I have the pavers laid flat and it really helps. I love the upright pavers, too, but I have far too many beds to tackle that part of it.

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