Alison AshbyPrint Page 
Miss Ashby had a life long interest in natural history and Australian plants of which she propagated, planted and distributed thousands in her lifetime.
She started painting in the early 1930's at least, and the substantial collection of about 1400 paintings is deposited at the Adelaide Botanical Garden. They form the basis of the now widely available popular wild-flower postcards initially sold at the South Australian Museum and Botanic Garden. She developed a painting technique admirably suited to reduction in size for reproduction.
For a long time she provided cut flowers for a continous display at the South Australian Museum. These came from the family garden at 'Wittunga', her own reserve 'Watiparinga' at Belair, her nephew's farm 'Mt Alma' at Inman Valley and the Burdett's garden at Basket Range. Later Miss Ashby donated the 'Watiparinga' reserve to the National Trust. She was always helpful to taxonomic botanists and was able to direct them to specific localities to find plants. She tagged particular bushes so that flowering and fruiting specimens could be drawn from the same plant.
Her 80th birthday was celebrated by the publication of 'Alison Ashby's Wildflowers of Southern Australia' published by the South Australian Museum Board where 34 examples of her paintings are included as well as a portrait of her at work. She is commemorated by Acacia ashbyae and Solanum ashbyae.
Location
| Address: | 15 Nangawooka Track, Nangawook Flora Reserve, Hindmarsh Valley, 5211 |
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| State: | SA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -35.516748 Long: 138.633993 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Structure |
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| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Arts |
| Link: | https://www.anbg.gov.au/biography/a… |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Sunday 23rd September, 2001 |
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Zonta Alison Ashby M. B. E. Memorial
Plaque :
Zonta Alison Ashby MBE Memorial funded by
International Zonta Club of Fleurieu Peninsula area
Australian Plant Society - Fleurieu Group,
City of Victor Harbor,
Port Elliot & Victor Harbor Lions Club & community
- Miss Alison Marjorie Ashby MBE was born in the year of Aust. Federation 1901 at North Adelaide & died on 12th Aug, 1987 at Victor Harbor.
- Lived at the family home "Wittunga" Blackwood, in the Adelaide Hills.
- Father Edwin ashby, was an orthinologist, naturalist & conservationist.
- Cared for her mother Esther Ashby who was bedridden from 1933 - 1943.
- Travelled extensively to Western australia, Mt Kosciusko and throughout Australia collecting native plants for propogating and as subjects in her watercolour paintings.
- Encouraged at a young age to paint by her English Aunt, Louisa Ashby, who acted as governess. Her formal education was at Methodist Ladies College however she did not regularly attend school because of poor health.
- Her only formal art instruction was six lessons from artist Rosa C. Fiveash
- Moved to Victor Harbor in 1972 & continued planting native flora in the reserves at nephew Eric Ashby`s property 'Mt. Alma' Inman Valley.
Celebration opened by Hon. Dean Brown M. P. on 23rd Sept. 2001
Plaque :
Alison Ashby MBE achievements
- Honorary Associate in Botany at the South Australian Museum.
- Foundation member of the National Trust of South Australia
- Served on the Nature Preservation Committee until 1960.
- Honorary Life Member of Society for Growing Aust. Plants, now Aust. Plant Soc.
- In 1959 made Life Member of the Field Naturalist Society.
- In 1960 made a Member of the British Empire.
- In 1972 presented to the Hunt Botanical Library in Pennsylvania, USA.
- In 1974 Acacia ashbyi named in her honour by the Western Aust. Herbarium.
- Developed 'Watiparinga' flora reserve, at Belair. Donated to National Trust SA.
- In 1975 Aust. National History Medallion from Field Naturalist Club of Victoria.
- Since 1957 gave 1.500 flower paintings to the SA Museum.
- 196 paintings have been reproduced into cards and postcards.
- Original paintings are held in the State Herbarium, SA Plant Biodiversity Centre.
- Her dedication in preserving and recording the heritage of Australian native plants is a legacy to her family and community.
Gazebo dedication ceremony opened by Mr. Eric Ashby on 23rd Sept. 2001
