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here were listed in the catalogues of plants published by Sir William Macarthur in 1843, 1845, 1850 and 1857 and in an unpublished catalogue dated 1861.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.
Camellia japonica ‘Cleopatra’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. bred at Camden Park, seedling 19/50. ‘Crimson, three rows of outer petals large and well shaped, good substance, inner smaller and more crowded. Very handsome.’ William Macarthur. [MP A2948-6].
Camellia japonica ‘Clio’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. Camden Park bred, seedling 29/50. ‘Deep rose colour, small size, like Paeoniflora, but darker. Middling. Very abundant bloomer.’ William Macarthur. [MP A2948-6].
Camellia japonica ‘Clymene’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. Camden Park bred, seedling 15/50. ‘Scarlet crimson, outer petals large and good, inner similar and crowded. Good.’ William Macarthur. [MP A2948-6].
Camellia japonica ‘Coccinea’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L., ‘Coccinea’ has an informal double flower of bright scarlet with rounded petals. [ICR]. ‘Bud somewhat large, oval, acute, scales greenish; flower axillary, large, regular, double, of a deep cherry-red, No.4; petals of the circumference, imbricated, sometimes splashed with white; those of the centre small, rumpled, and irregularly arranged.-Very beautiful.’ [Berlèse Monography p.74/1838]. Berlèse Iconography vol.I pl.44/1841.
Camellia japonica ‘Compacta’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. ‘This is a neat, small flowering variety, distinct from every other white, having a great deal of the character of the C. sasanqua in the flower, but the leaves of Japonica. We believe that it was raised by Messrs. Young [of Epsom, England].’ [LBC no.1836/1832]. ‘Bud oblong, small, scales green; flower small, fourteen lines in diameter, double, of a very pure white; petals, of the three exterior rows, firm, perfect, well imbricated; those of the centre numerous, small, erect, fasciculate, regular, in the form of a lance head, and intermixed with some fertile stamens.-Superb.’ [Berlèse Monography p.47/1838].
Camellia japonica ‘Conchiflora’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. ‘Flower cherry red 6.5cm across, regular, 15-20 petals, sometimes marked white like those of ‘Coccinea’ and spirally arranged.’ [Berlèse Iconographie pl.53/1841-43, quoted in the ICR].
Camellia japonica ‘Corah’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. Camden Park bred, seedling 61/52. ‘Rich bright crimson, very double, petals thick substance, outer large inner smaller, erect, very crowded and irregular form, semi-globular. Good.’ William Macarthur. [MP A2948-6].
Camellia japonica ‘Corallina’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. ‘Corallina’, a hybrid raised by Chandler in 1819, has semi-double, dark crimson red flowers, sometimes with a white spot, to 10cm in diameter. [ICR]. ‘Bud large, obtuse, scales yellowish; flower three and a half inches in diameter, and often more, double, deep cherry-red, No.6; petals large, broad, not numerous, sometimes spotted with white; some stamens in the centre. The seeds of this Camellia have produced very beautiful sub-varieties.-Superb.’ [Berlèse Monography p.75/1838].
Camellia japonica ‘Crassinervis’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. ‘Bud large, scales yellowish; flower of a medium size, very double, irregular, cherry-red, No.3, sometimes of a clear red, slightly marked with white; petals generally roundish, and crenated at the summit; those of the centre rumpled, and deformed; stamens sometimes apparent, and at others demi-transformed.-Beautiful.’ [Berlèse Monography p.58/1838].
Camellia japonica ‘Curvatifolia’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. ‘Flower white, regular, very double, three and a half inches in diameter; petals disposed in a regular rosette, of a very pure white: those of the circumference emarginated, slightly sinuous; those of the centre irregular and a little tortuous.-Superb.’ [Berlèse Monography p.47/1838].
Camellia japonica Danae’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. Camden Park bred, seedling 68/52. ‘Bright crimson, irregular outer petals, large thick substance, inner crowded, irregular and rather ragged. Tolerably good.’ William Macarthur. [MP A2948-6].
Camellia japonica ‘Dark red’
A Camellia japonica L. cultivar. Possibly a Camden Park cultivar subsequently named and appearing elsewhere in the catalogues or in William Macarthur’s note books. No more detailed description is extant.
Camellia japonica ‘Desdemona’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. Camden Park bred, seedling 62/52. ‘Rich bright crimson, outer petals very thick and well-formed, inner smaller, erect, crowded, irregular, flower quite double, very round and well formed. Very good.’ William Macarthur. [MP A2948-6].
Camellia japonica ‘Dido’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. Camden Park bred, seedling 6/50. ‘Pure white, moderate size, petals well shaped, not sufficiently numerous, of moderate substance and well formed.’ William Macarthur. [MP A2948-6].
Camellia japonica ‘Donckelaeri’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. A vigorous shrub with oval lance-shaped leaves and large, irregularly double white flowers, strongly marbled red, with some petals red, or white marbled red. [RHSE, Hilliers’]. ‘Bud calyx in fine green divisions, papyraceous, reddish at the base, five lines broad and eight long; flower from three to four inches in diameter; petals about 20, an inch broad, and nearly two long, ovate-oblong, obtuse, entire, cherry-red, No.1, variegated and sprinkled with white; the heart of the corolla is composed of from four to six curled petals, between them are perceived several fertile stamens, with others in a petaloid state.-Magnificent.’ [Berlèse Monography p.92/1838].
