Crinum lineare L.f.

Bulbous perennial with leaves to 60cm long, and flower stems to 30cm long, bearing umbels of up to 6, fragrant, funnel-shaped, white flowers, to 6cm long, tinged red in the centre.  [RHSD, Baker Am., Verdoorn].  

Added on April 27 2009

Penstemon ovatus Dougl.

Hardy perennial with broad-ovate leaves and blue flowers changing to purple.  To 1.2m.  [RHSD, Hortus].

Added on September 24 2009

Verbena x hybrida ‘Favourite’

A cultivar of Verbena x hybrida Hort. ex Vilm., the Florists’ Verbena.  There were probably several varieties of bedding verbena called ‘Favourite’.  The variety listed by Woods, and probably the plant purchased by Macarthur, was described as having a clear pink salmon flower.  [Gard. Chron. 1848].  Mary Conway of the Earl’s Court Nursery, Old Brompton, advertised a verbena ‘Favourite’ with a dark purple flower with a white eye.  [Gard. Chron. 1850].

Added on April 24 2009

Ehretia tinifolia L.

Frost hardy tree with elliptic leaves, to 17cm, and terminal panicles, to 15cm across, of fragrant, tubular white flowers, followed by orange-yellow fruits.  To 25m.  [RHSD].

Added on March 10 2009

Quercus agrifolia N

Fully-hard, spreading evergreen tree with ridged, grey or reddish-brown bark, glossy, elliptic leaves, to 7cm long, and solitary, slender, pointed acorns, to 3.5cm long.  To 10m.  [RHSE].

Added on February 18 2009

Prunus domestica ‘Coe’s Late Red’

A Prunus domestica L. cultivar. ‘Fruit medium sized, round, marked on one side with a deep suture. Skin bright purple, covered with a thin blue bloom. Stalk three quarters of an inch long, not depressed. Flesh yellowish, firm and juicy, with a sweet and sprightly flavour, and separating from the stone. Shoots downy. As a late plum, ripening in the end of October, and hanging for a month or six weeks later, this is a valuable variety.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.233/1860].

Added on May 27 2010

Jasminum officinale L.

Frost-hardy, vigorous, twining, woody, semi-deciduous climber with opposite, pinnate leaves, composed of 5-9 leaflets to 6cm long, and terminal umbel-like cymes of salverform, very fragrant white flowers, to 2cm across, in summer and autumn.  To 12m.  [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers'].

Added on January 20 2010

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 - 03:47 PM

Working Bee dates

Working Bee dates for 2012.

Published Jun 29, 2010 - 02:59 PM | Last updated Jan 10, 2012 - 04:19 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 - 01:58 PM | Last updated Jan 09, 2012 - 04:31 PM

Colonial Australian Wines

The following article appeared in The Gardeners’ Chronicle of Saturday, November 25th, 1854. It includes a review of seven wines sent to the proprietors of The Gardeners’ Chronicle from Camden Park by William Macarthur, together with his notes on the wines, the vineyards in which they were produced and the economic conditions pertaining to wine production and sale in Australia. Macarthur’s brief notes, when read with the more detailed essay Some Account of the Vineyards at Camden, extends our knowledge of wine production at Camden but most importantly provides an external (but not necessarily unbiased) view of the quality of the wines.

Published Jun 30, 2011 - 02:12 PM | Last updated Jul 04, 2011 - 09:00 AM

Rambles in New Zealand - Part 2

Rambles in New Zealand is the only published work of John Carne Bidwill of any length and an important document in the early colonial history of that country.
It is included in the Hortus for a number of reasons but mainly because, together with his letters to The Gardeners’ Chronicle, it completes the known published works of Bidwill. His importance in the history of the Camden Park gardens and the lack of any substantive treatment of his life and achievements make it appropriate to include all his published work here.
Rambles is published here in four parts:
Part 1 – dedication, Preface, pages 1-29
Part 2 – pages 30-59
Part 3 – pages 60-89
Part 4 – pages 90 -93, List of Subscribers

Published Feb 29, 2012 - 11:18 AM | Last updated Mar 01, 2012 - 06:02 AM

Letters on the Culture of the Vine Part 6: The Vintage

Letters on the Culture of the Vine and Manufacture of Wine by Maro, pen-name of William Macarthur. Letters IX, X and XI deal with the vintage, including the theory and practice of fermentation and preparation for winemaking. The process of winemaking is dealt with in more detail in subsequent letters. The illustration used here is a wine label from the 1852 Muscat vintage. Follow this link to further examples of wine labels from this period.

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 Sep 15, 2010 - 03:53 PM | Last updated Jul 21, 2011 - 11:15 AM

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 - 09:34 AM | Last updated Jul 21, 2011 - 11:13 AM