Rhododendron formosum Wall. var. gibsoni

The type Rhododendron formosum is a shrub or small tree with elliptic leaves, to 18cm, woolly beneath, and magenta-pink flowers with crimson spots and a basal blotch.  The form Gibsonii has fragrant, white, pink-tinted flowers.  To 5m.  [RHSD, Hortus, Millais]. The variety gibsoni is naturally occurring.

Added on June 18 2009

Iris persica L.

Fully-hardy, bulbous, dwarf iris with linear leaves and stems with 1-4 silvery-grey to sand-yellow or pale green, scented flowers in late winter and spring.  To 10cm.  [RHSE, Hortus, Lynch].

Added on November 04 2009

Potentilla missourica Schrad.

Fully hardy, upright perennial with pinnate leaves consisting of 5-19 leaflets and abundant yellow flowers in terminal panicles in summer.  [RHSD, Hortus].

Added on October 06 2009

Rosa ‘Réveil’

Bourbon rose.  The flowers are cherry-crimson in colour, large and full in form on a vigorous shrub.  Paul considered it a fine hardy dark Bourbon rose.  [Paul (1863, 1888), Rivers (1854, 1857), Amat].

Added on February 12 2010

Rhododendron indicum ‘Woodsii’

A cultivar of Rhododendron indicum Sweet, this azalea is listed as good garden varieties by later editions of Paxton's Dictionary but without description.  I have found no other description.

Added on June 07 2009

Rosa ‘Coutard’

A Hybrid China rose.  ‘Coutard’ is an abundant bloomer with bright rose-coloured, globular, large and double flowers, its growth somewhat pendulous.  [Gore].  Paul considered it a good rose, its colour lilac rose.  [Paul (1848, 1863)].  It was listed by Thomas Rivers in the Floricultural Cabinet of 1835 as among the earliest roses.  [FC p.241/1835].  Charles Wood Jnr., Woodlands Nursery, Maresfield, also writing in the Floricultural Cabinet in 1841, considered ‘Coutard’ to be one of the most desirable of roses.  [FC p.29/1841].

Added on February 11 2010

Veronica nivea Hook.f.

A dwarf, procumbent veronica with stout, leafy stems and white flowers.

The identity of Macarthurs ‘Veronica sp. (New Zealand)’ is uncertain but is probably either Veronica nivea Hook.f., described here, or Veronica bidwillii Hook. which see.

Added on February 18 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

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.” ’

Published Aug 25, 2010 - 05:34 PM | Last updated Aug 25, 2010 - 05:51 PM

Rambles in New Zealand - Part 4

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 - 02:37 PM | Last updated Mar 16, 2015 - 02:13 PM

History of the Florists’ Gloxinia

In the 19th century the florists’ Gloxinia was a very popular plant with hundreds of varieties under propagation.  Out of fashion today, these beautiful and easily grown plants deserve to be revived.  William Macarthur would not have recognised the large, multi-coloured flowers that dominate the show bench today but the plants he grew, predominantly of the slipper, or wild type, were equally beautiful.

Published Mar 14, 2010 - 01:56 PM | Last updated Jul 26, 2011 - 04:59 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