Michael ‘Moki’ Ruminski

Plantsman & Designer

Michael began practicing art and horticulture early on in his childhood as a lifestyle more than anything. Having a mother as an artist, she always brought him along while she taught art classes, painted murals, and visited exhibitions. Michael’s summer chore was caring for his parent’s and grandparent’s gardens. His biggest joy was watering, and he has his father to thank for the three attributes he absorbed from the everlasting chore of picking up fallen sticks in the yard from the silver maple (Acer saccharinum): patience, observation, and commitment.

He is native to southeast Wisconsin and obtained a BS in Conservation and Environmental Science from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. To have a diverse, authentic understanding of how the natural world is viewed by society, he sought out positions in multiple settings from the research department of the Wisconsin DNR, a prairie restoration company, and service businesses engaging directly with the public. 

In tandem with gardening and garden design, he is furthering his knowledge of perennial plants and woody species by practicing Kusamono and Bonsai. Michael calls Burlington, Wisconsin home.