Laurus nobilis L.

Frost hardy, evergreen conical tree or large shrub with glossy, ovate leaves, to 10cm long, and clusters of greenish flowers, to 5mm across, in spring, followed by black berries in female plants. To 12m.  [RHSE, Hortus. Hilliers’].

Added on March 03 2010

Fuchsia Banks’ ‘Climax’

Banks’ new seedling fuchsia of 1855, ‘Climax’, was described in glowing terms in an advertisement in The Gardeners Chronicle: ‘Tube stout, sepals very broad reflex, with a pretty curve or half circle, the points of the petals touching the seed vessel; colour, rich velvety crimson – the corolla is very large, of a splendid violet blue and great substance; habit; robust and blooms particularly free.’  [Gard. Chron 1855].  

Added on August 12 2009

Babiana disticha Ker-Gawl.

Leaves lance-shaped, hairy, flowers pale yellow or shades of blue marked with yellow, fragrant.  To 20cm.  [RHSD, Hortus, CECB].  

Added on October 18 2009

Nigella damascena L.

Fully hardy, readily self-seeding annual with finely divided bright green foliage, bearing pale blue flowers surrounded by a ruff of foliage in early spring to summer.  [RHSE, Hortus].

Added on February 05 2009

Gladiolus (cardinalis x tristis) x (x gandavensis) [#20]

Three way hybrid, (Gladiolus cardinalis x G. tristis) x Gladiolus x gandavensis no.20, described in Macarthur’s notebook no.4 in 1847.  ‘Moderate scape, flowers small.  middling shape, colour purplish crimson with yellow on part of lower lobes.  Indifferent variety flowers too small.’  [MP A2948-4].

Added on October 22 2009

Euphorbia milii Des Moul cv. splendens (Bojer ex Hook.) Ursch & Leandri.

Frost tender, semi-prostrate to scrambling, slow-growing, mainly evergreen, semi-succulent shrub with slender, fleshy, thorny stems and branches and axillary cymes of intense red flower-like bracts and reduced floral parts in spring and summer.  To 30cm, spreading to several metres.  The type Euphorbia milii is a bushy shrub, to 1m or more.  [RHSE, Hortus].

Added on February 20 2010

Pyrus communis ‘Napoléon’

‘Fruit large, the form of a Colmar, angular about the eye, a good deal contracted in the middle, about three inches and three quarters long, and three inches in diameter. Eye small, with a connivent calyx, a little depressed. Stalk half an inch long, thick, straight; in some specimens diagonally inserted under a large, elongated, curved lip. Skin smooth, bright green, in which state it remains for some time after the fruit is gathered; it finally changes to a pale green, when the flesh becomes very melting, with a most unusual abundance of rich agreeable juice. Ripe the middle of November, and remains in perfection several days.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.380/1831].

Added on May 17 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

“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

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

Raising Tropaeolum tricolor from seed

If you have tried growing Tropaeolum tricolor from seed you have probably encountered difficulty and obtained a low germination rate.  This was certainly my experience before I took this advice.

Published Jan 01, 2010 - 03:33 PM | Last updated Jul 30, 2010 - 03:38 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