Ashby Family and Wittunga Botanic Garden photographs [B 70984] • Photograph
A view towards Blackwood from Wittunga farm house roof
A view from the roof of Wittunga house of Cliff Street (later Shepherds Hill Road) leading to the township of Blackwood. The water from Wittunga's big reservoir is pumped into a tank on a tall stand which is clearly visible next to the family's tennis court on the east side of Sherbourne Road. The Trott family's home is just beyond the tennis court.
Edwin Ashby on a plant collecting tour of Western Australia
Edwin Ashby in the bush beside the car in which he and his nephew Watson Coleman are touring Western Australia. They spent eight weeks during August and September 1930 in Western Australia. Their car was shipped from Port Adelaide to Perth while the two men went across the Nullarbor by rail. During the trip he collected seeds and seedlings of native plants to grow in Wittunga garden.
Edwin Ashby boiling the billy in the bush in Western Australia
Edwin Ashby and his nephew Watson Coleman picnicking in the bush during their eight week tour of Western Australia. Edwin is suitably dressed for the bush with long gaiters but none-the-less is eating his picnic lunch off a plate with a knife and fork. Watson is holding a remote control attached by a long string to his camera.
A page from Edwin Ashby's July 1930 diary
Edwin kept a diary during an eight week tour of Western Australia with his nephew Watson Coleman. In it he tells of the Quaker families they visited and the plants he saw and collected. Edwin records collecting five verticordias and posting the plants to Wittunga to be planted in his garden.
Fierce bushfire destroys Edwin Ashby's home Wittunga
Image from The Advertiser newspaper article on page 15, 10 March 1934, reporting on the bushfire with a five-mile front that came towards Blackwood from Belair burning everything in its path, including Edwin Ashby's home Wittunga.
Furniture rescued from Wittunga house
Image from The Advertiser newspaper's front page, 10 March 1934. The top right hand photograph shows furniture that was rescued from Wittunga farm house and put in the middle of Cliff Street (later Shepherds Hill Road) as the house was destroyed in a bushfire. The bottom right photograph is of Wittunga's owner, Edwin Ashby.
Wittunga house burnt by a bushfire
Image from The Advertiser newspaper on page 15, 10 March 1934, showing the ruins of the home of Edwin Ashby "after the disastrous fire which swept through the Blackwood district yesterday".
Heat breaks March records in Adelaide
Image from The Advertiser newspaper article on page 15, 10 March 1934, reporting record temperatures the day before when a bushfire swept through Blackwood from Belair.
Sheep in the Hill Paddock of Wittunga farm
A flock of sheep, some recently shorn, in the Hill Paddock. The orchards south of the Adelaide to Melbourne railway line are in the background.
Front cover of Wittunga Nurseries' catalogue
Image from front page of Wittunga Nurseries' catalogue (undated). Wittunga Nurseries, operated by Edwin Ashby from his Blackwood farm Wittunga, promoted native plants for home gardens.
A page in Wittunga Nurseries' catalogue
Image from page 2 of Wittunga Nurseries' catalogue. Edwin Ashby promoted growing Australian plants in the catalogue of 'Edwin Ashby and son, Wittunga Nurseries, Blackwood, South Australia ... Grow native shrubs ... For beauty of flowers and attractiveness of foliage Australian shrubs ... are superior to the flora of Europe'. Wittunga Nurseries, operated by Edwin Ashby from his Blackwood farm Wittunga, promoted native plants for home gardens.
Edwin Ashby showing his Wittunga farm garden to a visitor
Edwin Ashby showing a visitor details of plants in his garden. He promoted his Wittunga garden by writing weekly articles in the Express and Journal describing how best to grow many different Australian plant species.
Edwin Ashby standing in his Wittunga farm garden
A view of Edwin Ashby standing in the Maluka Beds of Wittunga garden amidst a wide range of different plants from low succulents to tall flowering shrubs.
A truck load of Packhams Late pears at Wittunga farm
Keith Ashby at the wheel of his International truck with a load of Packhams Late pears. The view also shows the farm shed, old pigsties (left foreground) and the Kikuyu Paddock.
Cases of Josephine pears in Wittunga farm orchard
A view of freshly-picked cases of Josephine pears ready to be loaded on to Keith Ashby's International truck.
Wittunga farmland
A view from the Adelaide to Melbourne railway line looking south showing open cleared land with a small area of flowering orchard trees on the next hill.
An ageing apple orchard on Wittunga farm
A view of the low-growing South African weed one o'clock (Oxalis purpurea) in full bloom around deteriorating fruit trees in the Home Orchard. The netted Vine Trellis which protects from birds 25 varieties of table grapes is in the background.
South African shrubs on Wittunga farm
A view of the red-flowered South African shrub Leucospermum reflexum in new garden beds made by Keith Ashby on the site of the former Home Orchard of Wittunga farm.
Keith Ashby speaking at the ceremony gifting Wittunga farm to the State
On 15 October 1965 at a ceremony on the front verandah of Wittunga house Keith Ashby donates 30 acres of Wittunga including the house and garden to the State. L-R: Minister of Lands, Mr Bywaters; Eric Ashby; Mr Quirke MP representing the Leader of the Opposition (Sir Thomas Playford); Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Botanic Gardens, Mr A.H Peters; Director of the Botanic Gardens, Mr T.R.N. Lothian (mostly obscured); Keith Ashby (speaking); the Premier, Mr Frank Walsh; Professor Sir John Cleland (partly obscured); Mrs Elizabeth Ashby; Enid Robertson (nee Ashby).
Keith Ashby signing the title deed gifting Wittunga farm to the State
In the official party on 15 October 1965 when Keith Ashby signed the title deed gifting Wittunga to the State were: L-R: Eric Ashby; Mr Quirke MP representing the Leader of the Opposition (Sir Thomas Playford); Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Botanic Gardens, Mr A.H Peters; Director of the Botanic Gardens, Mr T.R.N. Lothian (standing); Keith Ashby (signing); the Premier, Mr Frank Walsh; Professor Sir John Cleland (mostly obscured); Mrs Elizabeth Ashby (partly obscured).
Guests at the ceremony gifting Wittunga farm to the State
Image from The Coromandel newspaper on page 4, 21 October 1965. The marque erected between the palm trees on Wittunga house front lawn on 15 October 1965 for the guests at the ceremony when Keith Ashby gifts Wittunga to the State. On the right hand side with her back to the camera is Adelaide University's botanist Miss Constance Eardley with two other guests on her right.
Guests inspect Wittunga Botanic Garden after the gifting ceremony
Guests inspecting Wittunga Botanic Garden after the gifting ceremony on 15 October 1965. The red-flowered South African shrubs, Leucospermum reflexum, are in full bloom in the new area recently planted by Keith Ashby. It is the site of the former Home Orchard and behind it is the enclosed Vine Trellis. Tall eucalypts in the Wild Part are in the background on the right.
New erica beds in Wittunga Botanic Garden
A new garden bed of many species of South African ericas. In the background are remnant gum trees, some South Australian blue gums (Eucalyptus leucoxylon) and some grey box (E. microcarpa). There is also some former grazing land not yet developed as garden.
The Coromandel newspaper report of Keith Ashby's Wittunga gift
Image from The Coromandel newspaper article on 21 October 1965 reporting Keith Ashby's gift on the front page. 'Mr Ashby's magnanimous gift will benefit the State' and 'Eighty guests present at the ceremony represent both botanic and civic organisations'. The article quotes Keith Ashby as saying on 15 October ' The knowledge that Wittunga will remain a garden for all time gives my family and me great satisfaction'.
Lake reflections in Wittunga Botanic Garden
Looking across Wittunga lake towards the southwest, Blackwood primary School is seen in the background. In the foreground are reflections of white-stemmed South Australian blue gums (Eucalyptus leucoxylon) growing near the water's edge. Between the trees is grazing land which was called the Bull Paddock in Wittunga farm days.
New erica beds in Wittunga Botanic Garden
A new garden bed of many species of South African ericas. In the background are remnant gum trees, some South Australian blue gums (Eucalyptus leucoxylon) and some grey box (E. microcarpa). There is also some former grazing land not yet developed as garden.
New garden bed with Dampiera border in Wittunga Botanic Garden
The vivid purple-flowered Dampiera as a border to a new garden bed of Australian shrubs. In the background is the uncleared section of the former Wittunga farm garden known as the Wild Part.
The last farm animals in Wittunga Botanic Garden land
A horse and a Friesian steer graze on the hillside which is part of the 30 acres of land bequeathed to the State by Keith Ashby on 15 October 1965. The horse called Pasha belongs to Keith Ashby's granddaughter Helen Robertson. Behind the farm animals is the Adelaide to Melbourne railway line with remnant tall trees below the embankment, South Australian blue gum (Eucalyptus leucoxylon), grey box (E. microcarpa) and sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillata).
New plantings in Wittunga Botanic Garden
A view showing ground cleared for new plantings in the southeast corner of the part of the former Wittunga farm known as the Cow Paddock. There is a group of remnant grey box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) against the skyline. A goods train is passing on the main Adelaide to Melbourne railway line in the background and a few apple trees remain in the old Line Orchard on the right hand side of the picture.
Old farm buildings awaiting demolition in Wittunga Botanic Garden
The old Wittunga farm buildings, the cow stalls, the harness room, the toolshed and the blacksmithy are prepared for demolition. The sheoak (Allocasuarina verticillata) standing behind the blacksmithy will also be removed.