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-   -   A visit to Ashmont (http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=84956)

Goldfields December 27th, 2013 07:51 AM

A visit to Ashmont
 
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I thought I might show you photo's of my sister's property, Ashmont(also her prefix for her shelties) in the gardening section simply because her garden is so beautiful, it shows what can be done in a better climate than we have here. The first photo is taken from just left of the front gate and shows the conifer garden in the center of the circular driveway. Second photo is of the big rose bed on the right side of the drive, while the third is of the smaller rose bed that is on the left side and continues right down beside the front verandah. The verandah goes right around the house, so not unusual to be sitting inside and have a sheltie watching you from outside. :D

marko December 27th, 2013 08:44 AM

Quite an impressive looking property!

Goldfields December 27th, 2013 08:46 AM

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Next is the front lawn, and a couple of my shelties in the distance. :) Then looking back to the gate from the front steps, followed by this tree out the front that I really like. Don't know its name but it reminds me of a waterfall.

Longblades December 27th, 2013 08:50 AM

That is just lovely. I bet you visit a lot. Looks like a lot of work too. :)

Our garden is under nearly two feet of snow right now, maybe more since the 30" high split rail fence has nearly disappeared. Not that it looks anything near as nice as that in summer.

Goldfields December 27th, 2013 08:56 AM

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First photo here is taken off the verandah, looking down to the orchard between two trees that HAZEL should recognize - the clue is in the name. Hehehe. Then a better shot of the orchard, and in the third I was standing on the back verandah, looking down to the rear of the block.On the left is a fenced vegetable garden and on the right a fenced herb garden.

Goldfields December 27th, 2013 09:07 AM

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I have to go to bed seeing it'll be hot here tomorrow, I need to get up early to water the garden. Just for a laugh though, I will finish tonight with a photo that I titled Beauty and the Beast. I was trying to get a photo of that lovely yellow rose and Sal, the Shepherd, just had to poke her head in, like some silly kid pulling faces for the camera. :laughing: Shall include a better one so I don't give the dog a bad name, like butt ugly. :D And to keep with the doggy theme, Roo enjoying a bone in Sally's dog yard. Shall post more photo's tomorrow.

Goldfields December 27th, 2013 09:18 AM

Yes, Marko, it's lovely, and they put a lot of work into it each Spring in order to be ready for the Sheltie Fun Day they run annually for the Club. They have a big raffle to raise money for the Rescue people. They had over 60 people there with their shelties this year and it just keeps attracting more and more.
Longblades, I don't get to visit at all. :( I'm tied here at home with my own animals and property to look after. I just got hi-jacked down there when I came out of hospital this time because Ian had also been admitted(had his hip replacement op) and they didn't want me here on my own trying to do all the work. Must admit that following my op and being on oxygen for the entire week, I was pretty flat when I got home. Barbara(sister) MADE me rest, she wouldn't even let me feed my own dogs!
More nice photo's tomorrow, I'll take a quick look at FB then go to bed.

Dog Dancer December 27th, 2013 10:31 AM

Wow what a beautiful property your sister has GF. There are no words really. Her GSD is beautiful also. And Roo, enjoying his bone, how great - life doesn't get much better.

That yard is too much work for me.

Barkingdog December 27th, 2013 11:55 AM

GF , your sister has beautiful yard and home, I would loved to be hijacked to a place like that. It's good to see you're feeling better and I enjoyed your short story about Beauty and the Beast and Roo . :)

hazelrunpack December 27th, 2013 01:03 PM

is that a weeping cypress, gf? the waterfall tree, i mean? didn't realize you had hazelnuts in australia--or is that a different type of hazel tree? :D

such a lovely place! dogs and roses...sounds like a book title, doesn't it?

Goldfields December 27th, 2013 06:05 PM

I'll ask Barbara the name of that tree, Hazel, and yes, it is a weeping cypress. Unfortunately there is a disease now in conifers down there. They aren't admitting it is a disease, they're saying it's to do with climate, but whatever. :shrug: The result is that they're dying. You'll see magnificent shelter belts on stud farms and there in part of the row, dead trees. When a friend drove me up to have Jarrah BAER tested(hearing) I took note and the problem is everywhere. Barb is very concerned that she could lose the lovely weeping tree.
The other trees are Hazelnuts, but not native to this country I imagine. Great shade trees.:thumbs up
I did appreciate being hijacked, Barkingdog. She'd tell me to go have a sleep after lunch, and I'd argue that I didn't need one, then lie down still thinking that. Yeah, asleep almost before my head hit the pillow.:D
The property is 2.5 acres, DD, and because they have a litter of shelties to care for, at the moment, they are a bit snowed under with work that needs doing. I would take over that much of this place for garden if this wasn't a semi arid area but mine would become a massive cottage garden whereas they have vast expanses of lawn.

Goldfields December 27th, 2013 06:23 PM

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This rose garden is pretty big. With the roses along the drive they total 250 roughly. They were at their peak for Sheltie day, start of Nov. , and are just about to do the second flush of blooms, the best Barb said she has ever seen them due to the rain they have had. I pruned , well, I deadheaded all these roses twice for her. In the background of this photo you will see in the distance two white statues . There used to be a rose garden down there but the possums decimated it. Anyway, the first time I took Roo for a walk down there he wanted to attack one of the statues, it was like "What's that guy doing up there, staring at me?" :D
The tree near Tony in the second photo is a Monkey Puzzle Tree. The limey green tree.
The final photo is taken looking back up to the house, with the orchard on the right, then to the left rose bed, shade house, dog yards etc..

Goldfields December 27th, 2013 06:42 PM

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They have some lovely trees. She could name them but I can't. I was quite amazed by how beautifully that Shepherd moves. Very strong, very fast, and if she is gaiting the topline doesn't move, she's like she's on wheels.

Goldfields December 27th, 2013 06:53 PM

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This garden bed is down the side of their big shed.
Pups are, from left to right....Jess(front), Laddie(background), Harry, Zoe(the tricolour girl) and Sylvie(sable girl). Barbara is keeping the two girls, Tony is most likely going to do obedience with Sylvie, and Barb with Zoe.

Goldfields December 27th, 2013 07:17 PM

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In the next photo the herb garden is on the left, vegie garden on the right, and note that the roses that are along the front of the vegie garden are now in flower. All the one type, maybe Edelweiss. Those steps up onto the verandah were wonderful physio for me. For the first time since my first knee operation I actually got to walk up steps normally. I'd have to psyche myself into it, and especially coming down them, wasn't sure I could trust the knee.
In the last photo here, Barb is trying to interest Roo in food, so she could train him. She didn't believe in getting rid of the distractions, aka my hungry shelties. :D

Goldfields December 27th, 2013 07:33 PM

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Outside the back door the verandah has an extra big square deck. This is where I sat and groomed my shelties each day when I first got down there. Dead ahead is her glasshouse, behind that her shade house, behind that is her dog room. On the right are the dog yards. If you notice, on the verandah post on the left, up high, there is a nesting box. This has been claimed by a pair of beautiful Eastern Rosellas and the male is very inquisitive. If they have visitors he likes to sit on the verandah rails and check them out.LOL.
The deck seen from out at the yards.
Finally the dog yards. his was taken before Matt and Dundee had the fight, so they are together in the right side yard. Matt is in the undercover part, which has a paved floor, Dundee out on the grass. The extra (white) puppy pens in the yards were for when we fed them, just easier to separate them. Each gate served two purposes, you could close them to allow access to both yards, or shut them into the covered yards. That shed beside the yards held a fridge and freezer.

hazelrunpack December 27th, 2013 07:40 PM

Wow, she has a great set-up there, GF! How does she manage to keep the kennel run grass so green? :D

Remind me about the spat between Dundee and Matt--didn't one of them have a corneal scratch afterward? Is that all healed up now? :fingerscr

hazelrunpack December 27th, 2013 07:40 PM

Oh, and those pups!!! :flirt: Such little fluff-butts! :lovestruck:

Goldfields December 27th, 2013 07:49 PM

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This long yard that Roo and Jarrah were in is originally the old chook run I think. The chook pen has been concreted and they could opt for the fully enclosed part, which was where their show cages(beds) were set up, or the other part where they were still under cover but had wire to look out through, OR of course they could run on grass. Which they did, especially when the 'wolf' was on the prowl, namely Sally. Roo barked so much at her he has a fine case of laryngitis. He makes sounds like a pig squealing or maybe a squeaking door. I'd have asked the vet about it except it's Xmas. Silly dog! Guarding his lady love, Jarrah, I guess. The nice green yard behind theirs is Sally's.
Now, have to include this photo of Misty, mother of the litter. The crossed legs are a Sheltie thing. :D
Time for a break, have to go feed the ponies. I shall finish this later with some colourful blooms to please those who are sick of snow by now. :)

Goldfields December 27th, 2013 08:04 PM

It just rains a lot down there, Hazel. Usually just over twice the annual rainfall I have here but for some reason they are now getting lots, which is keeping everything green and growing. Lucky devils! For instance they have just had to mow those dog yards again. Yes, poor Dundee copped a bite in the eye that he cannot close or blink. The third eyelid was torn slightly and he also got an ulcer on the cornea. With Rimadil, an antibiotic, and tubes of eye ointment I am pretty sure he's over it now. I think because he must be partly blind, he's a bit reactive if the others crowd him. We separated him down there and I won't allow him to sleep with Toby and Mattie now, like he used to. I must say the vet was lovely. I took him to the vet doing Jarrah's hearing test. He wanted to see him after 10 days and when I said I doubted if I'd still be there he said to ring him please with a progress report before I go home. When I did, he came on the line and said 'Goodday mate'. LOL. Nice bloke! Oh, I couldn't resist this. While we were leaving his clinic, he'd gone out to the carpark with a laden trolley, to vaccinate a litter of Doberman pups that the breeder didn't want to take inside. As we drove by, just to annoy the breeder, I called out "Hey, love them WITH their tails ON!" :laughing: It is illegal in Australia now to dock pups' tails but I know the majority still would like to do it.
Mmm! Hard to resist a little fluff butt or 5. They are going to have ripper coats on them later.

Barkingdog December 27th, 2013 09:46 PM

The Sheltie are beautiful , your sister home is amazing .

Goldfields December 28th, 2013 12:29 AM

I'll show you the inside later. Considering that they built it themselves and quite a few years ago now, it is surprising how it doesn't seem dated at all. They had good taste in other words.

hazelrunpack December 28th, 2013 12:16 PM

aw, poor dundee! glad he healed pretty well. corneal ulcers are ouchie!!!

Dog Dancer December 28th, 2013 07:31 PM

GF just looking at all that yard work makes me tired. Your sister is obviously very dedicated to keep such a lovely property. It's all gorgeous.

Goldfields December 29th, 2013 08:59 AM

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It is lovely, DD, but you know the saying, be it ever so humble, there is no place like home. My dogs could only be loose down there once a day and then we daren't let Roo loose for fear he'd jump the farm height fences they have. He loves being back, got the zoomies of course.
OK, now for some pretty roses.
Gina Lollobrigida.
Charlotte
Pink Peace(?)

You'll see in the photo of Pink Peace that they've put a grape vine on this end verandah. That was to keep the bricks, and house cool in hot weather.

Goldfields December 29th, 2013 09:05 AM

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Not sure of this first rose, lovely, whatever it is.
The second is named Limelight, which is rather appropriate.
A double daylily.

Goldfields December 29th, 2013 09:13 AM

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Harry Wheatcroft.
Oranges and Lemons.
The Childrens' Rose.

Goldfields December 29th, 2013 09:21 AM

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The beautiful Julia's Rose.
A bouquet my brother, Bernard, gave to me.
Facing the front gate, the big rose bed, climbing roses and clematis on the back.

Must depart to bed, the cold night air makes me cough.

hazelrunpack December 29th, 2013 11:15 AM

Breathtaking roses, GF! I think I like the "Oranges and Lemons" and "Julia's rose" the best. Absolutely gorgeous!

Goldfields January 4th, 2014 07:34 PM

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Finally getting back to this. Two of Barb's pups leave for their new homes today, she is holding onto the third boy because his new owner has to go into hospital for an operation. First photo here is her sheltie girls though, very well behaved at meal times.
Lounge room(x2), with a lovely view of the weeping conifer.
Most of the paintings she has done herself.


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