Gladiolus ‘Princess of Orange’

Possibly an imported hybrid although two Camden hybrids were called ‘Prince of Orange’.  I have found no description but refer to Gladiolus ‘Prince of Orange’.  

Added on October 23 2009

Lobelia ignea Paxt.

Herbaceous perennial with scarlet flowers, growing to 90cm.  [BM t.4960/1857].  

Added on September 29 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

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides Bunge

Fully hardy, rhizomatous, spreading, woody-based perennial with upright, slender red stems, obovate, wavy-margined leaves, to 9cm long, colouring in autumn, and terminal spikes of bright blue flowers, to 2cm across, in summer.  To 45cm.  [RHSE, Hortus].

Added on March 24 2009

Oxalis flava L.

Very variable, half-hardy rhizomatous perennial with up to 12, narrow leaflets per leaf, up to 20cm long, and solitary, bright yellow, white or very pale rose-violet flowers, to 2.5cm across, with a yellow throat, borne slightly above the flowers in spring and summer.  To 25cm.  [RHSD].  

Added on January 28 2010

Lachenalia species blue

There is insufficient data to positively identify this plant but three possibilities, all from South Africa, are suggested under Notes.

Added on January 07 2010

Ipomoea carnea Jacq. subsp. fistulosa (Mart. ex Choisy) D.Austin

Frost tender erect shrub with elongated lance-shaped leaves and funnel-shaped pink to pink-purple flowers, to 8cm long and 12cm in diameter in summer.  To 2.5m.  [RHSD, Hortus].

Added on October 05 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

“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

Rambles in New Zealand - part 3

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 - 02:11 PM | Last updated Mar 01, 2012 - 07:02 AM

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