Alstonia scholaris (L.) R.Br.

Frost-tender tree with ribbed, oval-shaped leaves, to 20cm long, usually 5-7 in a whorl, and cymes of greenish-white flowers.  To 20m.  [RHSD, Hortus]. 

Added on January 15 2009

Lotus sericeus DC.

Borderline fully-hardy, rounded to spreading, evergreen or semi-evergreen, silver-hairy bush with pinnate leaves, composed of 5 elliptic leaflets, to 2cm long, and axillary and terminal umbels of 4-10, pea-like, pink-flushed, creamy white flowers, to 2cm long, in summer and autumn.  To 60cm.  [RHSE].

Added on December 23 2009

Sparmannia africana L.f.

Frost tender, large shrub or small tree with vigorous, many-branched, hairy stems, rounded, shallowly palmately lobed leaves, to 21cm long, and umbels of up to 20 cup-shaped white flowers, to 4cm across, in spring and summer.  To 6m.  [RHSE, Hortus].

Added on March 27 2009

Morus nigra L.

Fully hardy, rounded tree with ovate, sometimes lobed leaves, to 12cm long, and cylindrical, sweet fruit, to 3cm long, ripening to dark purple in summer.  To 12m.  [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].

Added on March 18 2010

Narcissus tazetta ‘Grand Prince’

A variety of Narcissus tazetta, the Polyanthus Narcissus. ‘The following are superior florists varieties of the Polyanthus Narcissus: Grand Monarque; white and yellow. Mignonne; orange. Hercules; white and orange. Grand Primo; white and citron. Grand Prince; white and lemon.’ [The Horticulturist, and Journal of Rural Art and Rural Taste p.370/1864].

There are a number of plants similar to this description of 'Grand Prince' still growing at Camden Park, as shown in the photograph used as illustration here.

Added on May 23 2009

Dicentra spectabilis (L.) Lem.

Fully hardy, clump-forming perennial with thick, fleshy roots, leaves up to 40cm long, composed of three, often deeply cut, leaflets, and arching, fleshy stems producing racemes of flowers, 2-3cm long, with rose-pink outer petals and white inner, in spring and summer.  To 1.2m.  [RHSE, Hortus].

Added on March 12 2009

Sarcochilus falcatus R.Br.

Small, frost-tender, epiphytic orchid with fleshy leaves, to 16cm long, and slender racemes of up to 10, white, orange-blossom-scented flowers, with yellow and purple markings, in spring.  [RHSD, Jones, FNSW, Pridgeon, Beadle].

Added on January 26 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 - 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

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

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

Edmund Blake - Gardener

Edmund Blake is important in the history of Camden Park gardens, where he was employed as a gardener from 1837 until probably at least 1867.  William Macarthur named three hybrid plants in his honour, Passiflora  ‘Blakei’, Gladiolus ‘Blakei’ and Erythrina ‘Blakei, testament to the high regard in which he was held.  Erythrina ‘Blakei’ has survived to this day. It is a magnificent shrub worthy of a place in any large garden.

Published Apr 03, 2010 - 03:35 PM | Last updated Aug 14, 2012 - 04:55 PM

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 - 12:18 PM | Last updated Mar 01, 2012 - 07:02 AM