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

Clarkia amoena A.Nelson & J.F.Macbr. subsp. lindleyi (Dougl.) F.H.&M.E.Lewis

Fully hardy, erect annual with fluted, single or double, lilac to reddish pink flowers, with a dark red spot, in long shoots in summer.  To 75cm.  Lindleyi is a rather coarse form with lavender flowers, often streaked with white near the base, the dark red central spot often absent or represented by a small spot or line.  It can grow to 2m.  Once a very popular cottage garden plant.  [RHSE, Hortus].

Added on October 12 2009

Citrus sinensis ‘Navel Orange’

A Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck cultivar. For details of the Sweet Orange see Citrus sinensis ‘Chinese Oval’.  The fruits of the Navel Orange are characterised by the possession of a navel-like, protuberance at the opposite end from the stem. This is in reality an underdeveloped conjoined twin. Navel Oranges are sterile and seedless.

Added on May 04 2010

Hibiscus syriacus L. var. violacea simplici

For information on the species see Hibiscus syriacus L. var. alba simplexViolacea simplici has single, violet-coloured flowers.  Probably similar to the varieties ‘Blue bird’ and ‘Coelestis’, violet-blue with a darker eye.  [Hilliers’].

Added on January 13 2010

Camellia japonica ‘Spofforthiae Simplex’

A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. ‘Spofforthiae Simplex’ appears to be extinct and no description is extant.  Bred by William Herbert it was probably similarly coloured to ‘Spofforthiae’ but with single flowers.  [ICR].  

Added on July 03 2009

Heliotropium arborescens L.

Half hardy, bushy, short-lived shrub, often grown as an annual, leaves sometimes purple-tinged, with deep violet-blue or lavender-blue flowers in dense flower heads in summer.  To 1.2m.  [RHSE, Hortus].

Added on February 02 2009

Verbena x hybrida ‘Emma’

A cultivar of Verbena x hybrida Hort. ex Vilm., the Florists’ Verbena.  ‘Dark maroon purple, a plant of fine habit, a profuse bloomer, perhaps one of the most striking varieties in cultivation. Height 1 foot.’  W. P. Ayres.  [GC Oct. 11th, 1845].

Added on April 24 2009

Gesnera leopoldi Scheidw. ex Planch.

Cormous gesneriad with dark green heart-shaped leaves, purple beneath, and tall spikes of tubular scarlet flowers.

Added on August 31 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

The Family Amaryllidaceae at Camden Park

Amaryllidaceae was a very significant family of plants in the history of the Camden Park gardens.  The following Essay provides a little background to these important plants.

Published Jan 01, 2010 - 05:11 PM | Last updated Jul 30, 2010 - 02:54 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

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

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

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.