Rhododendron ‘Henri Resi’

I have found no description of this azalea.

Added on June 10 2009

Camellia japonica ‘Dido’

A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. Camden Park bred, seedling 6/50.  ‘Pure white, moderate size, petals well shaped, not sufficiently numerous, of moderate substance and well formed.’ William Macarthur.  [MP A2948-6].  

Added on June 21 2009

Rhododendron nudiflorum ‘Bicolor’

Treated here as a cultivar of Rhododendron nudiflorum Torr. but may be naturally occurring. Millais describes Azalea bicolor as similar to if not identical with Rhododendron nudiflorum Torr.  It is a deciduous shrub from the South Eastern USA with oblong leaves, hairy beneath, and scented, funnel-shaped, generally with white or pink-flushed flowers, with a pink or reddish tube, in spring.  To 3m.  Bicolor has scarlet flowers.  [Hilliers', PD, Millais].

Added on June 09 2009

Vitis vinifera ‘Black Hamburgh’

‘Bunches tolerably large, with two short compact shoulders, nearly as broad across as the bunch is deep. Berries pretty large, of an oval figure, but when grown to an extraordinary size, they are much enlarged at the head. Skin rather thick, of a deep purple colour, nearly black, and covered with a blue bloom. Flesh tender. Juice sugary, and well-flavoured.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.192/1831].

Added on June 23 2010

Mimulus varieties unidentified

These are probably varieties or hybrids of Mimulus luteus L. which see.  The illustration shows a selection of such plants available in 1864.

Added on April 23 2009

Oenothera acaulis Cav.

Borderline fully hardy, clump-forming, short-lived perennial with trumpet-shaped white flowers opening in the evening, turning pink the next day, in summer.  To 15cm.  [RHSE, Hortus].

Added on February 12 2009

Neomarica northiana (Schneev.) Sprague

Frost-tender rhizomatous perennial with a basal fan of ribbed, sword-shaped leaves, to 60cm, and, in summer, flower stems to 90cm, bearing a succession of flat, scented, white to yellow flowers, mottled crimson or maroon at the base, and barred or streaked violet to blue at the apex. To 1m.  [RHSD, Hortus].  The flowers are borne on very slender flattened stems and are accompanied by a plantlet.  The weight of flower and plantlet cause the stem to bend and touch the ground with subsequent rooting of the plantlet.  This habit has led to the common name of Walking Iris.

Added on November 16 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

Camden Park Roses

Roses were very important to the Camden Park gardens, 297 are listed in the Hortus, substantially more than the next largest genus, Camellia with 140 plants.  This brief review summarises the major types of rose grown and discusses the change in profile of roses over the decades from 1843 to 1861. 

Published Feb 13, 2010 - 03:27 PM | Last updated Jun 27, 2010 - 11:02 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 - 10:34 AM | Last updated Jul 21, 2011 - 11:13 AM

Letters on the Culture of the Vine Part 10: The Wine Cellar

Letters on the Culture of the Vine and Manufacture of Wine by Maro, pen-name of William Macarthur. Letter XVIII, the final letter, describes the construction and operation of a wine cellar. Although Macarthur writes ‘I have not had so much experience practically in the construction of this description of buildings, as with the majority of the details, upon which, I have endeavoured to communicate information’ it seems likely that the building he describes in such detail is modeled on the Wine House at Camden Park, the remains of which survive. Indeed, in discussing the perfect site, he also writes that ‘such in fact is the description of site adopted at Camden’. The illustration used here is a photograph of the ruins of the Camden Park Wine House showing the brick and sandstone vats built in the cellar of this building 170 years ago. These are ‘of two sizes, which contain respectively, 900 and 1,700 gallons; and we use them, as well to ferment in, as to store the wine in afterwards.’ So well built were these vats that William Macarthur asserted ‘they will probably endure without repairs for generations’. He was certainly correct in this as, although they have not been used for more than 100 years and have been open to the elements for much of this time, three of these vats are still in good repair today. The other two are partly collapsed. In this final letter Macarthur also describes the construction of brick wine bins such as are to be seen in the cellars at Camden Park house. A photograph on one of these bins is given in Part 9.

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 - 03:00 PM | Last updated Jul 21, 2011 - 11:10 AM

Letters on the Culture of the Vine. Part 1: Introduction

‘Letters’ is an important book in the history of wine production in Australia and this is, I believe, the first time that the full text has been made available outside the major libraries. The value of William Macarthur’s book compared with earlier Colonial publications is that it is written from the perspective of over twenty years of experience of growing grapes and making wine in New South Wales. He does include theory from the pens of European authorities but the bulk of the book is written from personal experience. He is in effect saying ‘this is what we have found to work here’.

‘Letters’ is reproduced in 10 parts, beginning with the Introduction, which provides information on the history of the book and gives a synopsis of early experiences of vine importation and wine production.

Published Aug 27, 2010 - 05:50 PM | Last updated Nov 24, 2011 - 02:57 PM