They are out there now, just got to find them. Thought I shall document the pests I found while gardening in the London area. I have highlighted the plants where I found them in bold. The ones I found this month, most can be controlled by using a systemic insecticide, eg. Provado Ultimate Bug Killer. Systemic insecticides are excellent, as they are absorbed into the plant thus only target the pests that consumes our precious plants leaving the beneficial insects unharmed.

Red Lily Beetle (Lilioceris lilii) - They feed on the leaves of spring bulbs like Fritillaries. If left, they may kill the plant or weaken it enough so it will not flower the following year. To control Red Lily Beetle, first pick off the ones you can see and then use a systemic insecticide to finish the job.

Red Lily Beetle

Rosemary Leaf Beetle (Chrysolina americana) - Shiny green metallic beetles can be seen nesting in the branches of rosemary and lavendar bushes. Extensive damage to the leaves. To control Rosemary Leaf Beetle, carefully pick them off the plant by hand. Do not use systemic insecticide if Rosemary is intended to be used for cooking.

Rosemary Leaf Beetle

Scale insect (Coccidae) - Hardly noticable, I was only alerted by numerious ants crawing on an Acer palmatum disectum. The ants were attracted to the honeydew secreted by the pest, they seldom kill their host plant but may make it look yellow and drawn. To control the pest, not for the squeamish … squish with finger tips and use a systemic insecticide to finish the job.

Scale Insect

Aphid - One week after I removed the scale insects from the Acer palmatum disectum, their cousins, both from the family Hemiptera Sternorrhyncha, aphids arrived. Another sap sucker, that can cause infections to plants if not controlled. Interestingly, there is an Acer palmatum purpurem nearby but is not infected by both pests.

The aphids were probably “put there” by the ants to replace the scale insects. The ants also defend the aphids from their natural predators like ladybirds. To control the problem, used an ant powder for the ants and soapy water for the aphids.

Aphid

Powdery Mildew - This was discovered on an Acanthus Mollis and it is a fungal disease. Cause by bad air circulation and plants that are weakened by draught are most susceptable.

Remove and discard all infected leaves; ie. do not compose. This will improve air flow around the plant and reduce its water requirement. When watering, avoid getting the leaves wet.

Powdery Mildew

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This paper analyses the style of the 20^th Century Dutch garden designer, Mien Ruys. Her model gardens in Dedemsvaart were visited during a study tour to the Netherlands with Capel Manor College in 2009. These are considered the best examples of her work.

Naturalistic Style, Forest Garden

Wilhelmina ‘Mien’ Jacoba Ruys (1904-98) came from a horticulture family, her parents owned the world famous Royal Moerheim Nursery in Dedemsvaart, Netherlands. She started working in the nursery at 19 but soon became interested in how plants are used in gardens and public spaces rather than in producing them. Her earliest naturalistic planting scheme, influenced by Karl Foerster, was typical of those prevalent in Europe at the time.

An apprenticeship in England in 1927 gave her the opportunity to meet Gertrude Jekyll, well known for her cottage style of gardening. Ruys then created a classic English border in the Nursery in the same year, which survives today as Oude proeftuin (Old Experimental Garden.)

Old Experimental Garden

Two years later in 1929, she went to study at the Agriculture College in Dahlem, Berlin. During this time she discovered interests in architecture and socialism. After her return from Germany, she studied architecture at Delft Technical College in 1931. Subsequently, her design and planting style evolved into something more empathetic with the Dutch modernists.

After World War 2, Ruys joined the De 8 en Opbau, a group of architects concerned mainly with functionalism at the expense of unnecessary ornamentation. Drawing inspiration from Mondrian, Van Doesburg and Christopher Tunnard, her work became more sculptural and architecturally pure but overlaid with planting that was softer and richer. The meeting of the Dutch and English schools of thought won her many admirers, and her planting philosophy had a marked impact on many later designers.

Principals of Design

Style

Contrasting Colours, Urban Garden

Ruys favoured an asymmetrical layout, with strong angles and overlapping shapes. During the early years after the War, she designed gardens in diagonal lines in relation to the house and this earned her the first nickname, Schuine Mien (Oblique Mien). This is probably because much of her work during this period of reconstruction was for building societies and communal gardens, as diagonal design would provide optimal use of space.

During the 1960’s, her design style had straightened; in favour of designing with lateral rather than diagonal lines, which has largely remained the case throughout the rest of her career.

Detail

After the war, there was rapid change in the style of architecture. The houses and gardens were smaller in scale and different in proportions. With the rise of Modernism, many garden designers struggled, having difficulties with the problem of unifying the house with its garden. As a consequence, many architects also designed the outdoor spaces together with their buildings and many considered perennials as unnecessary decorations.

Recycled Material, Bog Garden

With a background in architecture, Ruys understood the importance of unity of the architecture with the garden. She also wanted to have an experience of nature in her gardens and because of her connection with her family’s nursery, Ruys’ was fortunate to be able to choose and experiment with a wide variety of plants. Also at this time, the nursery was moving away from the tradition of a rigid, formal carpet of gaudy bedding plants to a more naturalistic style of planting.

Ruys introduced inexpensive, ready-made planting schemes for the masses, eight schemes altogether, to suit different soil types and aspects of the sites. Examples of them are still in display in her ‘off-the-peg’, Confectieborders model garden.

Her socialist views had greatly influenced her choice of materials for her gardens. In the vein of Gardens for The People, she experimented with different, low cost, widely available construction materials; signature aspects being the use of concrete pebble-dashed paving stones and railway sleepers. She was then known to her fellow Dutch countrymen as Bielzen Mien (Sleepers Mien).

She also experimented with recycled materials, one of which was the use of recycled plastic, which could withstand high temperatures, to make decking materials for her bog garden, Moerastuin.

Balance

Use of Grass, Acquisition Garden

The gardens are well balanced with contrasting textures, forms and colours. She used grasses, planted in large drifts, to give fine textures and arching forms. This contrasts well with water as she demonstrated in her Reed Pond (Vijvertje met riet) and Hedge garden (Geknipte tuin). She liked to use pools and ponds, large or small, in her gardens. Ruys’ gardens appeared to be on the well-planted side in comparison to other flat elements like paths and lawn. This gives the feeling of nature with a touch of wildness.

Hedging Soldiers, Hedge Garden

Simplicity

Simplicity is the key to Ruys’ gardens. There is a calm and uncluttered feel to them, achieved by limiting the number of features and different types of materials used; the gardens are never overly-ornamented; sculptures are made from simple materials and used sparingly just to give form.

Careful choice of perennials also ensures the colour element of the garden remains quiet and subdued. Planting schemes are repeated, sometimes in large drifts to minimise the need to use lots of different plants.

Scale and Proportion

Ruys’ designs worked well in small urban gardens; most of her model gardens are just around 150 metre squares. Her pebble-dashed paving slabs used are smaller (40cm) than the standard size we use today; this makes the gardens seem bigger.

Her sculptures and water features are never oversized or overwhelming; nor are they too small so as to appear fussy: in fact, they are just the right size to attract attention.

Rhythm and Repetition

There is much evidence of repetition, achieved by rows of pots and planters, ‘hedging soldiers’ or seating arranged in a row. The planters and pots used are purely functional, all with identical planting - they are there to provide a strong sense of rhythm and repetition.

Focal Points

Railway Sleepers, Sunken Garden

Focal points are usually provided by water features and garden sculptures or furniture, mostly from the modernist era, with clean lines and emphasis on form. The use of art in her gardens transforms a visit into an intellectual experience.

At times she experimented with square blocks of brightly coloured perennials for a sharp contrast as seen in the urban garden, Stadstuin. Sometimes one finds amusing details in her gardens that display her modern turn of mind.

Conclusion

The garden writer Jane Brown said “All her work displays the assurance of modern design at its very best.” Ruys’ gardens have aged gracefully and do not appeared dated, the concrete paths and planters have blended well into their surroundings. She has chosen materials that do not look overly synthetic or man-made.

Minimal Planting, Millstone Garden

Ruys used an asymmetrical style with overlapping shapes of square and rectangles with strong angles. Her style of design is still very relevant today as it is still an ideal layout for small urban and town gardens. Its strong sleek lines are in unity with today’s contemporary surroundings.

Much of her success is in her planting schemes, she primarily wanted an experience of nature in her gardens. Her choices of plant combinations for different aspects, soil types and situations are well researched and published. Copies of the full planting plans for her model gardens are available.

Mien Ruys’ legacy of notable gardens stems from:

• Unity of house and garden
• Knowledge of plants; including their colour, form and texture
• Use of grasses in large drifts
• Simple devices for rhythm and repetition eg. pots and planters
• Experiment in suitable construction materials for the garden
• Use of art sculptures as focal points

Her use of railway sleepers as a garden construction material is still widely continued today.

Appendix (List of gardens)

1. Molensteentuin (Millstone Garden)


Modernist Sculpture

2. Oude proeftuin (Old Experimental Garden)
3. Bank bij de waterbol (Bench by the Water Ball)
4. Verwilderingstuin (Wild Garden)
5. Tuinmanstuin (Gardeners’ Garden)
6. Bos (Forest)
7. Beeldentuin (Sculpture Garden)
8. Wiekend (Mien Ruys’ Bungalow)
9. Confectieborders (Off-The-Peg Borders)
10. Verdiepte tuin (Sunken Garden)
11. Zonneborders (Sunny Borders)
12. Vijvertje met riet (Reed Pond)
13. Aanwinstentuin (New Perennial Collection)
14. Daktuin (Roof Garden)


Amusing Sculptures

15. Moerastuin (Bog Garden)
16. Gele tuin (Yellow Garden)
17. Gemengde border (Mixed Border)
18. Hoektuin (Corner Garden)
19. Geknipte tuin (Hedge Garden)
20. Nieuwe border (New Border)
21. Bloementerras (Floral Terrace)
22. Grassen (Grasses)
23. Stadstuin (Urban Garden)
24. Vakkentuin (Compartmented Garden)
25. Herfsttuin (Autumn Garden)
26. Schaduwborders (Shady Borders)
27. Watertuin (Water Garden)
28. Kruidentuin (Herb Garden)

Bibliography

• Brown, Jane. The Modern Garden: Thames & Hudson, 25 Sep 2000.
• den Dulk, Leo. “Project Description.” Mien Ruys Project. Cantura 05 Apr 2010
• den Dulk, Leo. “Final report Phase I, Accessibility of Archives.” Mien Ruys Project. Cantura 05 Apr 2010
• Garden Wanderer, The. “Mien Ruys Gardens, the Netherlands.” 08 Oct 2008. blogspot.com. 07 Apr 2010
• Intercontinental Gardener, The. A book by Mien Ruys, mother of the New Perennial movement 08 Oct 2009. blogspot.com 07 Apr 2010
• Kunstbus  Mien Ruys  07 Aug 2008
• Tuinen Mien Ruys  Tuinen Mien Ruys  05 Apr 2010
• Tuinen Mien Ruys. Beplantingsplannen. June 2009.
• Vulgare  EXPERIMENTAL gardenS Mien Ruys – DEDEMSVAART, NETHERLAND  07 Apr 2010
• Wilson, Andrew. Influential Gardeners: Mitchell Beazley, 17 Oct 2002.

Text and image files in this blog post are the properties of retrofantasy.missyeh.nl and are protected by intellectual copyright laws.

The Medieval period or the Middle Ages came after the fall of the Roman Empire around the 500 AD and lasted till 1500 AD, at the beginning of the Renaissance period.

England saw the invasions of the Anglo-Saxons from Germany at 449 AD, Vikings from Denmark at 787 AD and the Normans from France at 1066 AD. The invaders brought with them their crops, fruits and horticultural practices.

Monasteries were the centre of cultural life and learning during the Middle Ages. This included the improvement of horticulture and agriculture. Within the monasteries there were different types of gardens; the kitchen garden, infirmary garden, cemetery orchards, cloister garths and vineyards.

The monks grew, fennel, cabbage, onion, garlic, leeks, radishes, parnips, peas, lentils and beans in the kitchen gardens. The beds were arranged in grids to ease cultivation; surrounded by wattle fencing to keep out animals and pests. In the infirmary gardens, they grew savory, costmary, fenugreek, rosemary, peppermint, rue, iris, sage, bergamot, mint, lovage, fennel and cumin.

Hortus conclusus, the enclosed garden was style at this time. Mentioned in the Bible, Song of Solomon, chapter 4 verse 12 is an allegory representing the Virgin Mary and her virginity. It is a place protected by a wall free from worldly sins.

Religious symbolisms were dotted throughout the enclosed garden. Like the fountain symbolised many things: Christ, The Church, Salvation through baptism, the Virgin, the Scriptures and the river of or fountain of eternal life that flowed out of Eden. The Rose associated especially with the Virgin but red roses with the blood of Christ or the blood of the martyrs. There were others; pomegranate, lily, carnation, aquilegia, lily-of-the-valley, snowdrops, iris, violets, the list went on …

Other significant events that helped to shape the Medieval Gardens are the compilation of the Domesday Book, c.1087, which showed ownership of land. This encourage the set-up of farms and private gardens. The Crusade, c.1095, lasted two hundred years, brought back new flora and fauna from middle eastern countries.

References:

• BBC Gardening: A history of British gardening
• A Medieval Garden for Santa Clara University
• GardenHistoryInfo.com: Medieval to 16th century Garden

The Ancient Egyptians have the earliest recorded history in ornamental horticulture and landscape design in the western world. Its civilisation spanned 3000 years before becoming a Roman province in 31 BC.

Ancient Egyptian gardens, a representation of which is on the right, were typically walled and connected to buildings, usually palaces, temples and chapels. The solid clay walls defended the gardens from the River Nile, which flooded regularly during the summer seasons. There were also ponds, sometimes stocked with fish, within the gardens to act as reservoirs for irrigation.

The trees in the gardens provided valuable shade in a very hot and arid climate. Ornamental stone kiosks and statues were also placed. The gardens were places where the Ancient Egyptians made tributes to their gods.

Ancient Egyptians used shadufs (see left) to draw water effortlessly from ponds and wells. A shaduf is like a see-saw with a bucket made of leather at one end and a counterbalancing weight at the other. A typical garden layout was often symmetrical which is thought to have eased irrigation and maintenance.

Willows, acacia and tamarisk were typical ornamental trees planted. Others included dates, figs and pomegranates. The Ancient Egyptians grew plenty of flowers and herbs too: daisy, cornflower, mandrake, rose, iris, myrtle, jasmine, mignonette, convolvulus, celosia, narcissus, ivy, lychnis, sweet marjoram, henna, bay laurel, small yellow chrysanthemum and poppy, papyrus and lotus.

Fruit and vegetables shared the same gardens as ornamental plants. Typical examples of fruit and vegetables grown were: onion, garlic, leek, bean, lentil, pea, radish, cabbage, cucumber, lettuce, melon and grape.

References:

• History of gardening - Wikipedia
• The Gardens and Ponds of Ancient Egypt by Jimmy Dunn
• A Brief History of Gardening by Tim Lambert

1.  I cannot do that purrring cat sound with my tongue rolled; everyone around me seems to be able to do that just to annoy me. I cannot do that sticking two fingers in mouth to whistle either. But as a party trick I can stack a pile of coins on an elbow and then catch them with my hand. 

2.  I can lay bricks and I am quite proud of that.  One year, I had to rebuild an old perimeter wall around my garden so I went on the Internet and did some research. It took 3,500 bricks and six months to complete.  The wall is still standing and it has been called a work of art.

3. I collect stainless steel cutlery, mostly what I found in car boots and jumble sales.   The period I am interested is between the 50’s and the 70’s.  Actually, I like the designs in general from this period; they are so funky and fresh compare to what we have today.

4. I like girls as well as guys but I think I prefer guys.  At the end of the day, if there is someone who I truly love; the gender seems irrelevant.

5. I own 26 pairs of shoes and 37 pairs of jeans …. is that normal ?

6. Liquice sweets gives me an instant headache. This is probably due to the first time I got really drunk was on Pernod and Black, I was young and didn’t know better.

7. I do not own a television set. Yeah, I saved the best one till last. People always look at me as if I have some kind of religious disorder when I say that. Well, maybe it is partly because I am afraid of my brain being taken over by aliens; I find the Internet more interesting and entertaining. Besides I don’t have the time to watch TV.

I am too nice and timid to tag other people but if you are feeling wild and restless and would like to be tagged, let me know.

I imagine only a few can share deepest personal feelings with others. By doing so makes us feel open and vulnerable but on the otherhand life is so enriching when connected with others in similar interests and outlook in life.  A risk I consider worth taking.

PS.  Oh yes, WordPress chose the title Hello world! for my first post …. I can still remember writing my first C program to print Hello world!  Sweet memories indeed.