Rosa ‘Red Moss’

The flowers of the ‘Red Moss Rose’ are semi-double, middle-sized and pale red or deep pink in colour.  [Gore, Rivers (1854), Paul (1848, 1888)].

Added on February 10 2010

Lavandula spica Cav.

Hardy sub-shrub with pale grey, downy leaves and terminal spikes of fragrant, tubular, pale grey-blue flowers.  To 1.2m.  [RHSD, Hortus].

Added on March 19 2009

Hippeastrum x johnsoni Hort.

A Hippeastrum reginae (L.) Herb. x Hippeastrum vittatum (L’Hér.) Herb. hybrid.  Flowers deep dull red, the keel striped white.  [RHSD, Baker Am.].  

Added on May 15 2009

Statice tatarica L.

Perennial with a woody rootstock, tufted, oblong leaves and dense sprays of red flowers.  To 45cm.  There are a number of garden varieties.  [RHSD, Hortus].

Added on October 16 2009

Pyrus communis ‘Doyenné Marbré’

Fruit; medium sized, oval, curved. Skin; pea green ripening to yellowish, thickly dotted, sometimes grey or green. Flesh; yellowish, tender, buttery, melting, slightly gritty at the core, sweet, rich and highly flavoured. Produces a vigorous tree and is an abundant bearer. An excellent late pear. Ripening December to March. [Herefordshire Pomona]. 

Added on May 20 2010

Syringa vulgaris L.

Fully-hardy, spreading shrub or small tree, with heart-shaped leaves, to 10cm long, and dense, conical panicles, to 20cm long, of small, single or double, fragrant lilac flowers in spring.  To 7m.  [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].

Added on January 20 2010

Notholirion thomsonianum (Royle) Stapf

A bulbous perennial with stems bearing up to 30 scented, horizontal or ascending, funnel-shaped, rose coloured flowers in spring and summer.  It comes into growth again in the autumn and by late autumn its spreading basal leaves may be up to 45cm long and continue to grow throughout winter, withering when the flower stems appear.  To 90cm.  Cultivated for many years, this is the best known of the species of Notholirion cultivated.  [RHSD, Hortus, Grey].  

Added on December 26 2009

Improvements to Hortus Camdenensis

The Hortus software has been upgraded. This led to some minor errors in the layout of plant names, particularly in the headings of Plant Profile pages but these have now been largely overcome. Improvements are also progressively being made to the content of the Hortus in three main areas, botanical and horticultural history, cross referencing and illustrations. Some enhancements will be done as the opportunity arises but most will be completed family by family. This will take at least two years to complete.

Published Sep 14, 2010 - 04:06 PM | Last updated Aug 12, 2012 - 04:36 PM

Sir William Macarthur on Vines and Vineyards

Sir William Macarthur wrote extensively on vines and Vineyards. It is our intention to publish all his writings in the Hortus.

Published Aug 01, 2010 - 04:58 PM | Last updated Oct 04, 2010 - 04:47 PM

Working Bee dates

Working Bee dates for 2012.

Published Jun 29, 2010 - 02:59 PM | Last updated Jan 10, 2012 - 05:19 PM

Open House and Gardens

Camden Park House and Gardens will be open to the public on Saturday 22nd September, 2012, from 12.00 noon until 4.00 pm, and Sunday 23rd from 10.00 am until 4.00 pm.

Published Dec 30, 2009 - 02:58 PM | Last updated Jan 09, 2012 - 05:31 PM

Some Account of the Vineyards at Camden

The vineyards of Camden Park are widely considered to be the first commercial vineyards in Australia. James and William Macarthur were certainly not the first to sell wine for profit or the first to export wine but were pioneers in the development of vineyards intended to produce a profit from the sale of quality wine. Prior to this wine was produced from small vineyards planted primarily for home consumption, with excess sold and sometimes exported.

The first vineyard was small, only one acre in extent, and largely experimental, but the second and third were on a much grander scale. As the closing words of this pamphlet demonstrate, James and William certainly had a vision of what was possible for Australian wine production, as they had previously for fine Merino wool.

‘Whether these Colonies can also hope to provide for the benefit of every class here at home, and at an equally moderate rate another exportable product, remains yet to be seen — so that even the tired artizan, in his hours of relaxation from toil, may not unseldom exclaim, “Go Fetch me a quart of (Australian) Sack.” ’

This short pamphlet outlining the Camden vineyards was produced to accompany samples of wine to the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in 1851.

Published Jan 10, 2011 - 04:54 PM | Last updated Jan 10, 2011 - 05:07 PM

Establishing an Orchard in Colonial Australia

Every Colonial gentleman with a household to maintain needed to keep an orchard of sufficient size to meet the needs of his kitchen and dining table at all times of the year. In 19th century Australia planting trees was an almost entirely manual operation, and establishing an orchard an expensive undertaking. William Macarthur developed a thriving and profitable nursery business in the 1840s, with an extensive and varied catalogue of plants for sale but heavily dependent on trees and shrubs, particularly fruit-bearing trees such as vines, oranges, apples, pears, plums, peaches and apricots. It was in the interests of Macarthur to ensure that the plants he sold were of high quality and that when received by the customer his plants not only survived but thrived and were productive. To this end he published a brief but detailed guide to what needed to be done to ensure that the planting of trees was as successful as possible and provided the best long-term results for his customers.

Published Jun 26, 2010 - 04:30 PM | Last updated Jun 26, 2010 - 04:36 PM

Letters on the Culture of the Vine Part 9: Preparation of Wine

Letters on the Culture of the Vine and Manufacture of Wine by Maro, pen-name of William Macarthur. Letters XVI and XVII describe the manufacture of wine from secondary fermentation to bottling and storage. The illustration used here is Plate 3 from Letters, which illustrates some of the equipment used in the manufacture of wine, described here and in earlier parts.

The entire book is reproduced in the Hortus in ten parts. For background information and Macarthur’s Introduction to the book see Part 1.

Published Oct 03, 2010 - 10:34 AM | Last updated Jul 21, 2011 - 11:13 AM

“The Blight” and the Camden Vineyards

Although the general heading of this collection of essays is ‘William Macarthur on Winemaking’ the two letters and two editorials from the Sydney Herald reproduced here are not from William’s pen. They concern the vine blight and its possible causes but also give an interesting perspective on the vineyards at Camden Park and on the esteem with which the Macarthur’s, particularly William, were held as vine growers as early as 1831. This makes them a worthwhile contribution to the story of the Camden Park wineries.

Published Jul 11, 2011 - 12:27 PM | Last updated Jul 17, 2011 - 05:31 PM