Nerium oleander ‘Splendens Grandiflorum’

A cultivar of Nerium oleander L. Described by Macarthur as a very bright pink or blush, and presumably with a larger flower. See Nerium oleander ‘Albo Pleno’ for more information on this plant.

Added on June 03 2009

Passiflora herbertiana Ker-Gawl. var. herbertiana

Half-hardy, robust-stemmed climber with minutely hairy leaves, to 12cm wide, and solitary or paired, pale orange-yellow or greenish flowers, to 10cm across, followed by green fruit, to 5cm long.  [RHSD, Don, FNSW, Beadle].

Added on January 31 2010

Passiflora quadrangularis L.

Strong climber with ovate, un-lobed leaves, the flowers greenish outside, pinkish inside, corona white with bands of blue and reddish-purple.  [RHSD, Hortus].

Added on January 31 2010

Gladiolus (angustus x blandus) x ‘Aurora’

Three way hybrid, (Gladiolus angustus x Gladiolus carneus) x Gladiolus ‘Aurora’.  ‘Aurora’ is presumably a named hybrid not elsewhere described.  No description is extant.

Added on October 23 2009

Malope trifida Cav.

Fully hardy, erect, somewhat branching annual with broadly trumpet-shaped, heavily veined pale to dark purple-red flowers from summer to autumn.  To 90cm.  [RHSE, Hortus].

Added on February 01 2009

Genista canariensis L. var. ramosissimus

See Genista canariensis L. for a description of the type.  The variety ramosissimus has shorter and more numerous racemes and the leaflets are smaller and smoother above [RHSD].

Added on December 16 2009

Bomarea salsilla (L.) Mirb. var. oculata

Frost-tender, tuberous-rooted, twining, climbing perennial with 1-4 flowers per stem, pink with green tips outside and copiously spotted with claret brown inside.  It seems to be a very variable plant with descriptions in the literature varying accordingly.  [RHSD, Baker Am.]. See also Bomarea salsilla (L.) Mirb.

Added on January 11 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

A Few Words on Gesneraceous Plants

The family Gesnereaceae was an important contributor to the diversity of the colonial garden of Camden Park, with 97 plants described in the Hortus, mainly from the genera Achimenes and Sinningia. This short article provides a good overview of the history of Gesneriads as garden plants, and some very useful advice on their culture. Unfortunately I have lost the source reference, but the content suggests that it was written for an Australian colonial readership. The article is simply signed L.W.

Published Jun 26, 2010 - 03:01 PM | Last updated Jun 26, 2010 - 03:19 PM

Letters on the Culture of the Vine Part 10: The Wine Cellar

Letters on the Culture of the Vine and Manufacture of Wine by Maro, pen-name of William Macarthur. Letter XVIII, the final letter, describes the construction and operation of a wine cellar. Although Macarthur writes ‘I have not had so much experience practically in the construction of this description of buildings, as with the majority of the details, upon which, I have endeavoured to communicate information’ it seems likely that the building he describes in such detail is modeled on the Wine House at Camden Park, the remains of which survive. Indeed, in discussing the perfect site, he also writes that ‘such in fact is the description of site adopted at Camden’. The illustration used here is a photograph of the ruins of the Camden Park Wine House showing the brick and sandstone vats built in the cellar of this building 170 years ago. These are ‘of two sizes, which contain respectively, 900 and 1,700 gallons; and we use them, as well to ferment in, as to store the wine in afterwards.’ So well built were these vats that William Macarthur asserted ‘they will probably endure without repairs for generations’. He was certainly correct in this as, although they have not been used for more than 100 years and have been open to the elements for much of this time, three of these vats are still in good repair today. The other two are partly collapsed. In this final letter Macarthur also describes the construction of brick wine bins such as are to be seen in the cellars at Camden Park house. A photograph on one of these bins is given in Part 9.

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 - 03:00 PM | Last updated Jul 21, 2011 - 11:10 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

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