Selected plants in the Hortus
Rosa ‘Striped Unique’
Centifolia rose. The flowers of ‘Striped Unique’ were described by Catherine Gore as middle-sized and full, white, striped and veined inside with bright pink.
Added on February 12 2010
Prunus domestica ‘Lawrence’
A Prunus domestica L. cultivar. I have found no record of a plum called ‘Lawrence’s Orleans’ but it is probably ‘Lawrence’s Favourite’, also called ‘Lawrence’. ‘Fruit large, round, and flattened at both ends. Skin dull yellowish-green, streaked with darker green on the side exposed to the sun, veined with brown, and covered all over with thin grey bloom. Stalk half an inch long, inserted in a narrow cavity. Flesh greenish, tender, melting, and juicy, rich, sugary, and with a fine vinous, brisk flavour, separating from the stone. Shoots downy. A delicious dessert plum. Ripe in the beginning of September.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.245/1860].
Added on May 27 2010
Camellia japonica ‘Olivia’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. Camden Park bred, seedling 47/52. ‘Pale crimson, very large flower, two outer rows of petals large, inner small, confused and nearly erect. Middling good.’ William Macarthur. [MP A2948-6].
Added on June 30 2009
Hydrangea macrophylla (Thunb.) Ser. subsp. serrata (Thunb.) Makino
Fully hardy, compact, erect, deciduous shrub with narrow, ovate, pointed leaves, to 15cm long, and flattened corymbs, to 10cm across, composed of numerous white, sterile flowers around the outside, with small pink or blue, fertile flowers in the centre, from summer to autumn. To 1.2m or more under suitable conditions. [RHSE, Hilliers’, Hortus].
Added on February 14 2010
Pelargonium ‘Bride of Abydos’
A Florists‘ Geranium. Rendle’s ‘Bride of Abydos’ was included in ‘a list of the most splendid seedling geraniums […] light pink, good spot, excellent form, and a fine trusser above the foliage. [FC p.57/1839]. It was still being offered for sale by Henry Walton, Florist, Burnley, in The Gardeners Chronicle of 1854. [Gard. Chron. 1854].
Added on January 29 2009
Sinningia speciosa ‘Caulescens’
A cultivar of Sinningia speciosa (Lodd.) Hiern. A dwarf plant with small, bright purple, slipper-shaped flowers. [RHSD, Fish]. This description is somewhat at odds with the description given in Loddiges’ Botanical Cabinet: ‘This grows with an erect stem nearly two feet in height’. At Camden Park there is a variety grown from Brazilian seed and simply labelled ‘Large Purple’ that is very similar to Loddiges’ description and to the figure in the Botanical Register used here.
Added on September 04 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
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
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
Camden Park Nursery Group
We are a small voluntary group helping to maintain and preserve the historic Camden Park gardens. There are regular meeting days, currently Tuesday and Saturday but this can be varied, but most members contribute through Working Bees held typically every third Sunday.
Published Jun 27, 2010 - 04:16 PM | Last updated Jun 27, 2010 - 04:32 PM
Letters on the Culture of the Vine Part 9: Preparation of Wine
Letters on the Culture of the Vine and Manufacture of Wine by Maro, pen-name of William Macarthur. Letters XVI and XVII describe the manufacture of wine from secondary fermentation to bottling and storage. The illustration used here is Plate 3 from Letters, which illustrates some of the equipment used in the manufacture of wine, described here and in earlier parts.
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 Oct 03, 2010 - 10:34 AM | Last updated Jul 21, 2011 - 11:13 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.
