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here were listed in the catalogues of plants published by Sir William Macarthur in 1843, 1845, 1850 and 1857 and in an unpublished catalogue dated 1861.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.
Dahlia ‘Primrose Perfection’
John Keynes of Salisbury listed for sale in The Gardeners Chronicle a number of Dahlias, including: ‘Primrose Perfection’ (Keynes’). ‘Pure bright primrose without shading, one of the most useful Dahlias ever offered; always providing fine blooms, and fit for any stand. Certificate at the National [Floricultural Society show of 1853] for its general good qualities.’ [Gard. Chron. 1854]. ‘It will be a useful flower; the centre and form are good and it is large and showy’. [Gard. Chron. 1853]. It was also among the prize takers at the great exhibition of Dahlias held in Edinburgh. [Gard. Chron. 1855].
Dahlia ‘Prince of Orange’
Widnall’s ‘Prince of Orange’ won twenty prizes in 1834 competitions. I have found no description. [FC 1834]. It is likely that more than one dahlia received this name.
Dahlia ‘Queen Victoria’
Introduced in 1853, ‘deep yellow, edged with red, well up, and good outline.’ [FC p.37/1853]. ‘Dahlias expected to be extensively cultivated this year include “Queen Victoria”.’ [Gard. Chron. 1853].
Dahlia ‘Quilled Perfection’
Brown’s ‘Quilled Perfection’ was included in a list of 50 excellent dahlias in the Floricultural Cabinet. [FC p.68/1837]. In 1838 it was described as ‘occasionally very fine, but very uncertain and rather too much quilled’, suggesting it was a semi-cactus or cactus type.
Dahlia ‘Red Perfection’
M’Kenzie’s ‘Perfection’, with red flowers, was offered for sale by Hugh Low and Co. of Upper Clapton, London, in 1841. [Gard. Chron. 1841]. This may well be ‘Red Perfection’. I have found no detailed description.
Dahlia ‘Ringleader’
‘Ringleader’, from Messrs. Holmes and Kemp was considered to be a promising new variety. It is a deep ruby-rose ‘of the finest symmetry’ and was awarded a First Class Certificate at the National Floricultural Society show. [Gard. Chron. 1853].
Dahlia ‘Robert Bruce’
Among the prize takers at the great exhibition of dahlias held in Edinburgh, was ‘Robert Bruce’. [Gard. Chron. 1855]. It was also a prize winner at the Grand National Dahlia Show, Sept. 23 and 24, 1858. [Gard. Chron. 1858]. I have found no description.
Dahlia ‘Rosea Elegans’
Among the prize takers at the great exhibition of dahlias held in Edinburgh in 1855, was ‘Rosea Elegans’. [Gard. Chron. 1855]. I have found no detailed description.
Dahlia ‘Sir F. Bathurst’
Keynes’ ‘Sir F. Bathurst’. ‘Crimson, fine petal, very symmetrical in arrangement and true outline, of great depth, but rather flat in centre.’ It was awarded a First class certificate in 1849. [FC p.4/1850]. ‘Seedlings were numerous but there was nothing amongst them very striking [except] ‘Sir F. Bathurst’, a crimson of fine form, and apparently constant’. [Gard. Chron. 1849]. It was considered to be one of the best dahlias sent out in the years 1848-50, particularly admirable because it ‘throws [its] blooms well up above the foliage and is of good habit.’ In 1853 it was among ‘dahlias expected to be extensively cultivated this year’. [Gard. Chron. 1853]. It was also among the prize takers at the great exhibition of dahlias held in Edinburgh in 1855, and again at the Grand National Dahlia Show, September, 1858. [Gard. Chron. 1855 and 1858].
Dahlia ‘Triomphe de Roubain’
Probably ‘Triomphe de Roubaix’. Classified as a Fancy Dahlia – tipped, it was among the prize takers at the great exhibition of dahlias held in Edinburgh [Gard. Chron. 1855] and was also a prize winner at the Grand National Dahlia Show, Sept. 23 and 24, 1858. [Gard. Chron. 1858]. I have found no detailed description.
Dahlia ‘Zebra’
At least two striped dahlias appear to have been sold under the name ‘Zebra’. Charles Turner of the Royal Nursery, Windsor, advertised Yale’s ‘Zebra’ for sale in The Gardeners Chronicle, describing it as a fancy variety, maroon striped with orange. [Gard. Chron. 1847]. The Floricultural Cabinet provided a list of new dahlias offered to the public in 1853 and described ‘Zebra’ as ‘light, with brown stripes; well up and good outline.’ [FC p.37/1853]. This later cultivar is likely to be the catalogue plant. Among prize getters listed in The Gardeners Chronicle was Keynes’ ‘Zebra’, a fancy variety. [Gard. Chron. 1853]. It was still being offered for sale by Keynes’ Nursery in 1860. [Gard. Chron. 1860].
Dahlia Dodd’s ‘Mary’
‘This beautiful variety was raised by Mr. Dodds, gardener to Sir George Warrender, and is generally considered by all who have seen flowers of it, to be unrivalled in its class; wherever we have seen it exhibited, either in the country or metropolitan shows, its superbity was so evident, that the most inexperienced in a knowledge of the properties of a first rate flower were struck with its beauty, which those persons capable of ascertaining its merits, without a single exception that we have seen or heard of, state that it is, in its class, superior to any other exhibited this year.’ [FC p.264/1836]. [FC p.122/1836]. The flower is fully double, almost globular, white, with a very pale pink blotch at the edge of the petals and would be classified as a Show Dahlia today.
Dahlia Keyne’s ‘Nancy’
John Keynes, Nurseryman, Salisbury, offered the dahlia ‘Nancy’ (Keynes) in the pages of The Gardeners Chronicle in 1852, describing it as ‘fancy, scarlet and white.’ [Gard. Chron. 1852]. Keynes’ ‘Nancy’ received a certificate at the Shacklewell Dahlia Show of September 9, 1851. [Gard. Chron. 1851].
Dahlia pinnata Cav.
Frost-tender to half-hardy tuberous-rooted herbaceous plant, bushy, in a wide range of sizes, colours and flower form. Summer flowering. [RHSE, Hortus].
