Doryanthes excelsa Correa

Frost-tender perennial with erect clusters of 100 or more curving, lance-shaped leaves and, in late summer, flowering stems to 5m bearing short, lance shaped leaves and dense, spherical racemes, to 70cm across, of tubular red flowers enclosed in leafy bracts.  To 6m.  [RHSE, Hortus, FNSW].

Added on January 06 2010

Wisteria sinensis (Sims) Sweet

Fully-hardy, vigorous, twining climber with pinnate leaves, composed of up to 13 leaflets, and dense, pendant racemes, to 30cm, of pea-like, fragrant, lilac-blue to white flowers, in spring and summer.  To 9m or more.  [RHSE, Hilliers’, Hortus].

Added on December 23 2009

Vitis vinifera ‘Tinta’

‘No. 12 – Tinta. Imported by the Australian Agricultural Company, in 1825. Black, with deep red juice, sugary but very austere, not fit to be used alone, but may be very valuable to combine with other grapes for red wine, in the proportion of not exceeding one-fourth (with Nos. 1 [Pineau Gris, 3 [Dolcetto], 9 [Small Black Grape], and 13 [Black Grape], for instance). I have tasted very good wine, in the manufacture of which this grape was used to about the above extent. The bunches are tolerably large, berries small and crowded, produces moderately well. It is said to be cultivated extensively at Madeira, for the manufacture of Tinta Madeira, and to be one of the seven sorts which enter into the composition of the best white wines of the island. A very hardy plant, requiring same room as Nos. 1 and 2 [Pineau Gris and White Grape 57/1]. [Maro p.23/1844].

Added on June 24 2010

Sutherlandia frutescens R.Br.

Frost-tender evergreen shrub with slender, erect, twiggy, white-downy stems, pinnate leaves and axillary racemes of bright red, pea-like flowers in spring and summer, followed by greenish-yellow or red-flushed seed pods.  To 2m.  [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].

Added on December 13 2009

Phyllocladus trichomanoides D.Don

Half-hardy, evergreen pyramidal tree with smooth bark, whorled branches, flattened stems (phylloclades), resembling the leaves of celery, usually toothed or lobed, to 30cm long, each with up to 15 diamond-shaped segments, and spherical, blue or black female cones, to 2cm long, and catkin-like, purple male cones, in spring.  To 12m.  [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers’].

Added on August 09 2009

Rosa chinensis Jacq. var. odorata

Tea rose.  A climber with large, sweetly-scented, somewhat globular, semi-double, almost white, creamy-blush flowers in spring.  In my garden, although very productive, the flowers tend to blow very quickly.  [Paul (1848, 1863, 1888), Gore, Rivers (1854, 1857, 1863)].

Added on February 10 2010

Lotus jacobaeus L.

Half-hardy, erect perennial with pinnate leaves, composed of 5 linear leaflets, to 4cm long, and axillary clusters of pea-like, chocolate to purple-brown flowers plus some yellow on the same plant, mainly in summer.  To 90cm.  [RHSE, Hortus].

Added on December 23 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

Rambles in New Zealand - Part 1

Rambles in New Zealand is the only published work of John Carne Bidwill of any length and an important document in the early colonial history of that country.
It is included in the Hortus for a number of reasons but mainly because, together with his letters to The Gardeners’ Chronicle, it completes the known published works of Bidwill. His importance in the history of the Camden Park gardens and the lack of any substantive treatment of his life and achievements make it appropriate to include all his published work here.

Rambles is published here in four parts:
Part 1 – dedication, Preface, pages 1-29
Part 2 – pages 30-59
Part 3 – pages 60-89
Part 4 – pages 90 -93, List of Subscribers

Published Feb 29, 2012 - 08:45 AM | Last updated Feb 29, 2012 - 03:08 PM

Camden Park Nursery Group

We are a small voluntary group helping to maintain and preserve the historic Camden Park gardens. There are regular meeting days, currently Tuesday and Saturday but this can be varied, but most members contribute through Working Bees held typically every third Sunday.

Published Jun 27, 2010 - 04:16 PM | Last updated Jun 27, 2010 - 04:32 PM

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

Camellias at Camden Park

Most of the camellias grown at Camden Park are cultivars of Camellia japonica L., the ‘Common camellia’, a native of China, Korea and Japan.  The first plant introduced to Britain in 1739, and figured in Curtis’s Botanical Magazine [BM t.42/1788], is close to the wild type.  It bears single red flowers in early spring but is rarely planted now and was not grown at Camden Park.  William Macarthur was an important breeder of camellias and many of the cultivars described in the Hortus were bred by him.  Unfortunately few of these have survived.  

Published Mar 13, 2010 - 02:43 PM | Last updated Jul 30, 2010 - 02:46 PM