Antirrhinum majus L. varieties

Probably varieties of Antirrhinum majus L., which see, rather than the Antirrhinum hybridum of Linnaeus, the current name of which is Kickxia spuria (L.) Dumort.  The latter is a weedy perennial from Britain.

Added on September 24 2009

Gladiolus gracilis Jacq.

Fully-hardy cormous perennial with up to 4 leaves, typically as long as the stem, and a lax flower spike, to 75cm, bearing up to 5, scented, broadly funnel-shaped, pale bluish-lilac flowers in spring, the lower petals spotted and streaked with black.  [RHSD, Hortus, CECB].  

Added on October 26 2009

Rosa ‘Madame Desgaches’

Hybrid Perpetual.  The flowers are rose-coloured, of medium size, full and globular, its habit branching on a dwarf shrub.  Paul considered it to be a good rose: ‘This rose is of exquisite form; the petals too, are closely and beautifully disposed.’  [Paul 1848].

Added on February 12 2010

Crinum scabro-pedunculatum ‘Dido’

A hybrid, Crinum zeylanicum L. x Crinum pedunculatum R.Br.  Originally Crinum scabro-pedunculatum hybrid no.3 in Macarthur’s notebook but the hybrid probably created by John Bidwill.

Resembling No. 1 [‘Cleopatra’] but plants not so vigorous and with shorter column.  Flowers very large size and broader in the petal than ‘Augusta’.  The stripe in the centre of each narrower and paler but quite regular, no colour outside. [MP A2948 Notebook no.4, p.3].

In 1846 Macathur described C. scabro-pedunculatum hybrid no. 4 as much the same as no. 3, probably the same, and in more detailed notes named it ‘Dido’: Less robust in habit than no.1 [‘Cleopatra’].  Leaves 8 inches broad at the base and more pointed, column shorter.  Scape 2 feet, flowers 15 measuring about 7-7½ inches, petals very broad at base, more than 1¼ inches, diminishing towards the points, pure white with a narrow carmine stripe not extending to the point of the petal.  Very handsome variety. [MP A2948 Notebook no.4, p.8].  Elsewhere hybrid no.4 is named ‘Helen’, which see.

Added on May 07 2009

Selenicereus grandiflorus (L.) Britt. & Rose

Frost tender, climbing, epiphytic cactus with 5- to 8-ribbed stems, to 2.5cm thick, and nocturnal, fragrant white flowers in summer.  To 5m.  [RHSD].

Added on March 02 2010

Narcissus tazetta L. subsp. tazetta ‘Baselman minor’

See Narcissus tazetta subsp. tazetta var. ‘Trewianus’ for a more detailed description.  According to Herbert Bazelman minor has an orange margin to the corona.

Added on May 23 2009

Gladiolus (x colvilli) x (x gandavensis) [#4]

(Gladiolus x colvilli) x (Gladiolus x gandavensis) hybrid, no.4 in Macarthur’s notebook no.5 in an entry dated 1846.  ‘Robust scape.  Paler than No.3, lower lobes partly yellow with dark crimson blotches.  Middling variety.’  [MP A2948-5].

Added on October 22 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

A Brief History of the Camden Park Gardens

William Macarthur, born at Parramatta, New South Wales in 1800, was the youngest son of the colonial pioneers John and Elizabeth Macarthur. He became an accomplished agronomist, horticulturist, viticulturist and gardener, but above all he was a plantsman. Although he certainly sought to create a pleasant gentleman’s garden at Camden his real interest was in growing useful, unusual, exotic and beautiful plants for their own sake as well as for their utility. He established his first garden at Camden in 1820. More than 3000 species, hybrids and cultivars were grown in the gardens up to 1861, all of them described in the Hortus. Many more were grown in the succeeding decades. Of course not all of these plants succeeded at Camden. William was an innovator and put much energy into determining which plants could be acclimatised and which could not and he became an authority on the subject, his expertise sought by such bodies as the Queensland Acclimatisation Society, founded in 1862.

The historic value of the Camden Park gardens is almost inestimable.  Many changes have occurred in the gardens in the almost 200 years since they were first laid out, but the basic framework of the gardens remains with many historically significant trees and shrubs surviving. Over the years the diversity of plants in the gardens has naturally diminished. This has occurred mainly since World War II, partly due to a lack of labour to maintain and replace the more sensitive species and varieties. The economic conditions of today make it very difficult to manage extensive private gardens but John and Edwina Macarthur-Stanham, the present owners, have done much to halt and reverse the post-war decline, and there is a very real desire on the part of the family to maintain and develop the gardens.

Published Jun 27, 2010 - 02:25 PM | Last updated Jun 27, 2010 - 02:33 PM

Letters on the Culture of the Vine Part 5: Management and Replenishment of the Vineyard

Letters on the Culture of the Vine and Manufacture of Wine by Maro, pen-name of William Macarthur. Letters VII and VIII deal with the management of the vineyard after planting, the use of manures and the replenishment of an exhausted vineyard. The illustration used here is Macarthur’s Plate 2, a section of a vineyard. This is referred to in detail in Part 4, however it does illustrate the method of vine culture recommended and described here, the dwarf-standard method which at this time was practiced mostly in the north of France.

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 09, 2010 - 05:49 PM | Last updated Jul 21, 2011 - 11:15 AM

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

Letters on the Culture of the Vine Part 3: Grape Varieties and Diseases

Letters on the Culture of the Vine and Manufacture of Wine by Maro, pen-name of William Macarthur. Letters III and IV deal with grape varieties found suitable for New South Wales, and diseases of the vine.

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 01, 2010 - 05:24 PM | Last updated Jul 21, 2011 - 11:16 AM