Ina van Teunenbroek

Alumni Type: Immigrant
Country of Origin: Netherlands
Date of Arrival: February 5, 1968
Port of Entry: Queenston, ON
Age on Arrival: 32

Pier 21 - Ina Vrugtman
Ina's story (updated 4 Nov. 2021)

Ina Vrugtman was born Ina van Teunenbroek, April 1936, in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Her early school years were World War Two years with The Netherlands under German occupation. She graduated from the Gemeentelijk Lyceum in 1955. Temporary jobs in greenhouse and orchard provided her first experience in horticulture. In 1956 Ina enrolled in a technical and geographic drawing course at the Koninklijk Technicum PBNA in Arnhem. 1958 to 1961 she took MOEnglish (BA level) at the School voor Taal- en Letterkunde, The Hague, while employed by the research and exploration division of Royal Dutch Shell.

Encouraged by her long time friend and classmate Eva, Ina emigrated to the United States in 1961, joining Eva at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Employment in the Cornell library system and scholarships allowed Ina to enrol as a student, earning a B.S. in Floriculture and Ornamental Horticulture with a major in Botany in 1965. During her undergraduate years Ina worked part time as a research assistant for Cornell Plantations, in the Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium, and at Cornell's Experiment Station on Long Island, NY.

At Cornell Ina met Freek Vrugtman, a graduate student from Canada. They married August 1964. On graduation (M.S.) Freek had competed for and won the 1966 Frederick Dreer Award for horticultural studies abroad. Combined with additional grants from the UK, The Netherlands and Germany they travelled and studied in Europe from September 1966 until January 1968. Ina assisted Freek with his research project, especially with plant collecting, herbarium and library research.

When Freek was appointed Curator of Collections at Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) in Burlington, Ontario, in 1968, Ina emigrated from the United States to Canada, entering Ontario at Queenston on February, 1968, as a “landed immigrant”.

At RBG Ina took an interest in the Garden's library and herbarium. In 1972 she was appointed Head Librarian with additional responsibilities in education and extension, and in 1984 Curator of the Centre for Canadian Horticultural Studies (CCHHS) and editor of Canadian Horticultural History, an interdisciplinary journal / Histoire de l'Horticulture au Canada, revue interdisciplinaire. In 1989 Ina was recipient of the Greater Hamilton Heritage Association Award for outstanding contributions to Canadian Horticultural History. At times Ina served on various internal committees at RBG.

Ina received Canadian citizenship in 1973. To gain experience in bookbinding, book repair, and preservation of archival materials Ina was a trainee, 1971 to 1976, at the Book Preservation and Conservation Department, Mills Library, McMaster University. Freek was granted sabbatical leave May to October 1974 for work and study at the Institut fuer Stauden, Gehoelze und Angewandte Pflanzensoziologie, Fachhochschule Weihenstephan, Freising, Federal Republic of Germany, under the guidance of Prof. Dr Richard Hansen. Ina's special assignment was to collect and prepare herbarium collections of hardy herbaceous perennials at the Sichtungsgarten for the RBG herbarium with duplicates for exchange.

Professional involvement included the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta: Editorial Advisory Committee for The Public Garden (1988-1991); Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries (CBHL): President (1979-1980), Member of the Secretariat (1977-1980), Member of the Nursery and Seed Trade Catalog Committee (1977-1980), and in October 1989 Ina organized and lead a three week professional study trip to the United Kingdom.

On ICOMOS Canada (the Canadian national committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites) Ina served on the Historic Gardens and Landscape Committee (1986 to 1991) and was a regular contributor to the column on “Heritage Plants” in Pollen, newsletter of HGLC.

Over the years Ina has been a member of various organizations and has served on some of their committees:

• International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS); Commission for Urban Horticulture (1980s).
• Ontario Museum Association: Organizing Committee for Symposium “From Kitchen to Table – food in 19th-century Ontario (1979).
• Association for Living Historical Farms and Agricultural Museums (ALHFAM).
• Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild.
• Canadian Wildflower Society.
• Koninklijke Maatschappij voor Tuinbouw en Plantkunde. (NL).
• Ontario Museum Association.
• Society for the Bibliography of Natural History (UK).
• Toronto Area Archivists Group (TAAG).
• Flamborough Horticultural Society; Board of Directors (1970s); life member.
• Waterdown and East Flamborough Heritage Society; Board of Directors (1970s); life member.

Freek and Ina joined the RGB organization at a time when it was still in the development stage.

Plant collections were expanding, the plant documentation system was being modernized by introducing the first desk top computer system at RBG. Plant knowledge bases, such as library, reprint collection, photographic slide collection and herbarium documentation were being expanded. RBG directors Leslie Laking and Alan Paterson provided guidance while encouraging staff initiative.

Ina took charge of monthly art exhibits in the library (1979 to 1986) and of the foyer showcase (1976 to 1983 and 1992/93). As part of the RBG Extension Program Ina developed and presented courses on Culinary and ornamental herbs; Edible plants; Spices; Unusual fruits and vegetables; Plant philately; and Library reference work and techniques. Attending national and international professional meetings provided welcome opportunities to visit and explore places of botanical and/or horticultural interest.

In the early 1990s two tempting opportunities arose for travel in Asia, each consisting of a six week prearranged sojourn tailored to the various interests and capabilities of the participants. Freek and Ina persuaded their director to let them go. Two department heads, simultaneously, two times, for six weeks, Indonesia and Thailand – experiences of a lifetime.

At home, Nemo View, in Carlisle, Ina had many interests; sewing, needle work, knitting; gardening, growing ornamental perennials and vegetables; reading; keeping her scrapbooks and albums of their travels up to date; keeping in touch with gardening friends and folk dance participants.