Experimental and innovating
The Mien Ruys Gardens is a local council monument in Dedemsvaart, Overijssel. This green oasis was created through the creativity and enthusiasm of Mien Ruys. She was well known for her experimental and innovating style. After her death in 1999 the management of this inheritance was taken over by the Mien Ruys Foundation, a non-profit organisation.
The Mien Ruys gardens is a succession of over thirty different gardens. The experimental character, in particular, made the gardens become an important source of inspiration for garden lovers and specialists. The oldest garden on the site is the Wilderness garden. This garden was laid out in 1924 and has been given the status of National monument, as was the Old experimental garden (1927), the Water garden (1954) and six other gardens from the post-war recontstruction period (1960)
The young Mien
Mien Ruys was born on the 12th of April 1904 in Dedemsvaart. What has now become The Mien Ruys Gardens used to be the Moerhiem nursery garden, the perennial nursery of her parents. At an early age Mien began experimenting with various shapes, plants and materials on a piece of land in the nursery. She studied in Berlin for a time and went to England for different types of work experience.
Eventually she started up her own design agency.
Mien Ruys became one of the most important garden architects from the twentieth century. For over seventy years she used her ideas to design fascinating gardens.
Foto: Maria Austria