Plants in the Hortus
Many of the plants described here were listed in the catalogues of plants published by Sir William Macarthur in 1843, 1845, 1850 and 1857 and in an unpublished catalogue dated 1861. A large number of additional plants were identified from correspondence, gardening notebooks and other documents surviving in the archives. The Hortus attempts to describe all the plants grown in the gardens at Camden Park and those grown in horticultural enterprises such as orchards and vineyards and includes plants grown outside the gardens in the park-like environs of the Camden Park estate. The Hortus plants served a wide range of purposes in the 19th century household; as ornament, living fences, fibre, dyestuffs, medicines, food and drink from the garden, orchard and vineyard and many others.
Hedera helix L. var. hibernica
See Hedera helix L. for more information on the species. Hibernica is one of many recognised varieties. It is a fully hardy, vigorous climber with large, broadly triangular, dark green, glossy leaves, to 8cm long, with 5 triangular lobes. The leaves are usually upward-folded. To 10m. [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].
Hedychium coronarium J.G.Koenig.
Half-hardy, upright rhizomatous perennial with long lance-shaped leaves and terminal racemes of fragrant, butterfly-like white flowers, with greenish-white basal marks, in summer. To 3m. [RHSE, Hortus].
Hedychium gardnerianum Ker-Gawl.
Half-hardy perennial with lance-shaped leaves, to 40cm long and spikes of yellow flowers with bright red filaments. To 2m. [RHSD, FNSW].
Hedysarum species unidentified
Hedysarum is a genus of some 70 species of herbs or sub-shrubs from the Northern Hemispher with pinnate leaves and pea-like flowers, usually in shades of purple, white or yellow. [RHSD].
Helichrysum humile Less.
Shrub with slender, often unbranched shoots and terminal flower heads with pale pink to deep rose-coloured, papery bracts. To 60cm. [RHSD].
Helichrysum humile Less. var. grandiflorum purpurea
See Helichrysum humile Less. for a description of the type. The variety grandiflorum is of a dwarf habit compared with the type, freely branching, the flower heads larger, and purpureum has flower heads of dark purple [RHSD]. Grandiflorum purpurea presumably combines all of these characteristics to some degree.
Helichrysum macranthum Benth. var. roseum
Helichrysum bracteatum var. macranthum has white flowers, rose coloured outside. [RHSD].
Helichrysum robustum Paxt. var. roseum
Elichrysum robustum is a hardy annual usually with white flowers although the variety roseum has pink flowers. [JD].
Helichrysum sesamoides Willd.
Slender erect shrublet with solitary, terminal flower heads and satint white, rose or pale lemon bracts. To 60cm. Grows on sandy mountain slopes. Spring to summer flowering. [RHSD, Rice].
Helichrysum species unidentified, pink flowers
Unidentified species of everlasting flower with pink flowers.
Heliocereus speciosus (Cav.) Britt. & Rose
Frost tender, semi-pendant to erect cactus with cylindrical, unevenly toothed, mid-green stems with prominent ribs and yellow to pale brown spines, and trumpet-shaped, purple tinged red flowers, to 17cm long, in summer. To 2m. [RHSE, Hortus].
Heliotropium arborescens ‘Triomphe de Liege’
See Heliotropium arborescens L. for details of the species. ‘Triomphe de Liege’ was offered for sale by Mary Conway, of Earl’s Court nursery, Old Brompton, in the pages of The Gardeners Chronicle. [Gard. Chron. 1850]. ‘Triomph de Leigh’ has immense heads of white flowers, and, grown in a sandy loam and vegeatable mould, blooms very freely.’ [FC p.131/1850]. It seems likely that ‘Leigh’ is a misspelling of ‘Liege’.
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].
Helipterum gnaphaloides DC.
Half hardy sub-shrub with a many-branched stem, linear leaves, to 6cm long, and many daisy-like flowers with yellow florets. To 50cm. [RHSD].
