Notice

Colin Mills, compiler of the Hortus Camdenensis, died in late November 2012 after a short illness. As he always considered the Hortus his legacy, it is his family's intention to keep the site running in perpetuity. It will not, however, be updated in the near future.

Camden Park House from the East Lawn. Photography by Leigh Youdale

Selected plants in the Hortus

Magnolia virginiana L. var. glauca

Deciduous shrub to small tree with elliptic leaves, to 12cm long, and scented creamy white flowers, deepening with age.  To 15m.  [RHSD, Hortus, Hilliers’].

Added on March 24 2010

Camellia japonica ‘Rotundifolia’

A cultivar of Camellia japonica L., ‘Rotundifolia’ has single red flowers.  [LBC no.1112/1826].

Added on July 01 2009

Prunus persica ‘March Peach’

A Prunus persica (L.) Batsch. cultivar. I have found no description of this peach. 

 

 

Added on June 03 2010

Rosa ‘Joseph Decaisne’

Hybrid Perpetual.  ‘Joseph Decaisne’ has rose coloured flowers and was considered by Rivers to be remarkable for the elegance and perfection of its flowers, along with ‘Lucie de Barant’ and ‘William Grifiths’.  [Rivers 1854].

 

 

Added on February 12 2010

Juniperus virginiana L.

Fully-hardy, evergreen conical or columnar tree with spreading branches, peeling bark, pointed, wedge-shaped juvenile leaves, diamond-shaped, scale-like adult leaves, and ovoid, brownish fruit ripening in the first year.  To 30m.  There are numerous garden forms.  [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].

Added on August 03 2009

Begonia picta Sm.

Half-hardy tuberous rooted begonia with stems to 38cm, ovate leaves to 12cm long, dark green mottled with white and purple tinged above, and pink flowers to 3cm across, all year round under good conditions.  [RHSD].  Hortus Second describes Begonia picta as probably a garden form of Begonia coccinea, but may be describing Begonia picta Hort. Henders. ex A.DC., synonym Begonia griffithii Hook., probably a different plant.  It seems likely that Macarthur’s plant is that figured in Loddiges’ Botanical Cabinet.

Added on June 20 2009

Dendranthema x grandiflorum ‘Tasselled Lilac’

A cultivar of Dendranthema x grandiflorum Kitam. Tassel flowered chrysanthemum.  ‘A middle-sized, a rather tall plant, of very great beauty, and one of the most desirable of the whole group, having very showy tasselled flowers, five inches or more in expanse, very numerous, early, and elegantly drooping from their weight, but they often show a disk.’  [FC p.73/1833].

Added on April 15 2009

News

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

Essays

Letters on the Culture of the Vine Part 7: The Vintage (Continued)

Letters on the Culture of the Vine and Manufacture of Wine by Maro, pen-name of William Macarthur. Letters IX, X and XI, reproduced in Part 6, dealt with the vintage, including the theory and practice of fermentation and preparation for winemaking. The vintage is continued in Part 7, letters XII and XIII giving a description of grape harvesting and crushing. The illustration used here is an excellent lithograph showing the grape harvest at the third vineyard at Camden Park in 1878.

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 24, 2010 - 05:07 PM | Last updated Jul 21, 2011 - 11:14 AM

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 8: Fermentation of the Wine

Letters on the Culture of the Vine and Manufacture of Wine by Maro, pen-name of William Macarthur. Letters XIV and XV describe primary and secondary fermentation of the wine. The illustration used here is a photograph of the cellars at Camden Park House.

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 30, 2010 - 05:11 PM | Last updated Jul 21, 2011 - 11:14 AM

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

About the Hortus

The Hortus attempts to correctly identify, describe, illustrate and provide a brief history of all the plants grown at Camden Park between c.1820 and 1861.

Plants in the Hortus

The Hortus plants served a wide range of purposes: ornament, living fences, fibre, dyestuffs, medicine, food from the garden and orchard, and many others.

Plant Families

Plants in the Hortus are grouped by Family, perhaps the most useful of the higher order classifications.

Essays

Essays enhance the Hortus by providing a level of detail about the gardens, people, and plants that would be inappropriate for an individual plant profile.

Hortus News

News provides an opportunity for people interested in the gardens to keep in touch with the work being done to maintain and reinvigorate the gardens and receive advance notice of events such as Open Garden days.