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here were listed in the catalogues of plants published by Sir William Macarthur in 1843, 1845, 1850 and 1857 and in an unpublished catalogue dated 1861.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.
Neomarica caerulea (Ker-Gawl.) Sprague
Frost-tender rhizomatous perennial with a basal fan of sword-shaped leaves and, in summer, a succession of flat, scented, mid-blue flowers with white, yellow and brown stripes. To 60cm. [RHSE, Hortus].
Neomarica northiana (Schneev.) Sprague
Frost-tender rhizomatous perennial with a basal fan of ribbed, sword-shaped leaves, to 60cm, and, in summer, flower stems to 90cm, bearing a succession of flat, scented, white to yellow flowers, mottled crimson or maroon at the base, and barred or streaked violet to blue at the apex. To 1m. [RHSD, Hortus]. The flowers are borne on very slender flattened stems and are accompanied by a plantlet. The weight of flower and plantlet cause the stem to bend and touch the ground with subsequent rooting of the plantlet. This habit has led to the common name of Walking Iris.
Neomarica sabini (Lindl.) Chukr.
A true species from St. Thomas with yellow flowers according to Paxton’s Dictionary and Johnson’s Dictionary. However, Loddiges’ Botanical Cabinet shows flowers in which the falls are blue, standards deep blue and the centres a deep yellow. This plant, grown from Brazilian seed, has recently (Nov. 2010) flowered in the gardens at Camden Park. Its growth habit and flowers are much more like N. caerulea than N. northiana and the Botanical Cabinet illustration used here represents it well.
Nerine curvifolia (Jacq.) Herb.
Nerine curvifolia is now considered synonymous with Nerine sarniensis Herb., although it was considered a distinct species through most of the 19th century. A separate entry is given here for completeness. Like Nerine sarniensis, Nerine curvifolia was listed in all the published catalogues suggesting that Macarthur considered them to be sufficiently distinct.
Bulbous perennial, the stems to 60cm, bear umbels of up to 15 scarlet flowers with strongly recurved, somewhat spiralling petals in autumn, the up to 8, strap-like leaves usually appearing after the flowers. [RHSD, Hortus, Baker Am.].
Nerine flexuosa Herb.
Nerine flexuosa is now conidered to be synonymous with Nerine undulata (L.) Herb. It is retained as a separate entry here to assist differentiation. Macarthur included flexuosa in all editions of his catalogues but undulata only in the 1857 edition. That he regarded them as separate species at this time suggests at least some minor differences between the plants.
Bulbous perennial, the 4-6 arching, narrow, strap-like leaves produced with the flower scapes which bear compact umbels of 10-20 dark-veined, pink flowers in autumn, the petals having crisped edges. To 45cm. [RHSE, Hortus, Baker Am.].
Nerine humilis (Jacq.) Herb.
Bulbous perennial with four to six spreading or prostrate, strap-sheped leaves and a loose umbel of 1-8 pale to deep pink flowers with undulating margins. To 40cm. [RHSD, CECB].
Nerine laticoma (Ker Gawl.) T.Durand & Schinz
Bulbous perennial with 4-6, linear, spreading, flaccid leaves produced with the flowers scapes which bear umbels of 20-40 pale to bright red flowers. [Baker Am.].
Nerine sarniensis Herb.
Bulbous perennial with up to 6, erect, strap-like leaves, produced after the flowers, which are compact umbels of 10-20 crimson to orange-red flowers in autumn. To 45cm. There are a number of varieties. [RHSE, Hortus, CECB, Baker Am.]. See also Nerine curvifolia (Jacq.) M.Herb.
Nerine undulata Herb.
Bulbous perennial, the 4-6 strap-like leaves and umbels of 8-12 slender, mid-pink flowers usually appearing together in autumn. To 45cm. [RHSE, Baker Am.]. Almost evergreen in the Camden Park gardens. See also Nerine flexuosa (Jacq.) Herb.
Nerium oleander ‘Albo Pleno’
a cultivar of Nerium oleander L. Fully-hardy, tall, erect to spreading shrub or small tree with lance-shaped leaves, to 20cm long, and cymes of up to 80 pink or white, sweet-scented double white flowers, to 5cm across, in summer. To 2.5m. [Hortus, Don].
Nerium oleander ‘Atropurpureum’
A cultivar of Nerium oleander L. with single, deep red flowers. [Hortus]. William Macarthur described atropurpureum as a very bright deep crimson. See Nerium oleander ‘Albo Pleno’ for more information on this plant.
Nerium oleander L. var. aurantiacum ‘Aurantiacum’
A cultivar of Nerium oleander L. For information on the species see Nerium oleander ‘Albo Pleno’. Aurantiacum presumably has orange coloured flowers but I have found no specific description of this variety.
Nerium oleander ‘Cardinale’
A cultivar of Nerium oleander L. with single, bright red flowers. [Hortus]. See Nerium oleander ‘Albo Pleno’ for more information on this plant.
Nerium oleander ‘Formosum’
Presumably a delicate, finely-formed flower but I have found no specific description of this variety. See Nerium oleander ‘Albo Pleno’ for more information on this plant.
Nerium oleander ‘Fulosum’
I have found no specific description of this variety. See Nerium oleander ‘Albo Pleno’ for more information on this plant.
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