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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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Time to Cover Plants & Bring in the Hummingbird Feeders Again


After an extended stretch of mild weather, we have two nights of sub-freezing temperatures. No snow or ice, just cold, in the mid twenties tonight and teens tomorrow night.

I cover three or four plants including the loquat and a eucalyptus that was planted late last season.



We usually bring in a few of the hummingbird feeders and put them back out early in the morning. 

For the other birds, I have a heating device inside the urn fountain. I recently received this little heated bird bath that you just plug into the wall. This is the first time I've used it. I'm not crazy about the color but if it works, that is all that matters.




In the meantime, much interest is to be found -


Cotoneaster dammeri - either 'Lowfast' or 'Mooncreeper' - anyone know the difference?


Euphorbia characieas wulfenii


Camellia 'Nuccio Bella Rosa'

Heather (Calluna vulgaris 'Firefly' and 'Multicolor')


Hypericum 'Pumpkin' (St. John's Wort)

Vinca minor 'Illumination' (Periwinkle)



Asian Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum 'Ogon Nishiki')


Pieris 'Little Heath'

Stay warm!


Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

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Comments

  1. Kris PetersonJanuary 28, 2023 at 8:20 PM

    That's a very pretty Cotoneaster! You've got a lot of nice color ro see you through your cold snap.

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  2. Anna KJanuary 30, 2023 at 6:23 AM

    Not familiar with 'Mooncreeper' but I know 'Lowfast' is really what its name indicates - very low unless you give it something to climb on - in which case it will totally head upwards. It's probably fast, too. Those heathers look so good with the river rocks - yummy!

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