Hortus Camdenensis | Home page (original) (raw)
Selected plants in the Hortus
Gardenia beaumiana unidentified
An unidentified species. This could be a typographical error with bowieana intended. Given the confusion between species of Gardenia, Rothmannia and Randia at this time the plant intended could be Euclinia longiflora Salisb. which see. Its numerous synonyms include Rothmannia bowieana (A.Cunn. ex Hook.) Benth. and Randia bowieana A.Cunn. ex Hook.
Added on February 07 2010
Camellia japonica ‘Sylvia’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. Camden Park bred, seedling 50/52. ‘Bright lake crimson, small round flower, quite double, but not quite regular to very centre. Good.’ William Macarthur. [MP A2948-6].
Added on July 03 2009
Sinningia speciosa ‘Albo-sanguinea’
A cultivar of Sinningia speciosa (Lodd.) Hiern. A number of nurseries, including James Backhouse, the breeder, were offering Gloxinia albo sanguinea for sale in The Gardeners' Chronicle of 1849. The name suggests that it is a hybrid between Sinningia speciosa ‘Albiflora’,which see, and an unidentified cultivar called ‘Sanguinea’, red in colour.
Added on September 02 2009
Camellia japonica ‘Julia’
A cultivar of Camellia japonica L. Camden Park bred, seedling 44/51. ‘Bright crimson, small flower, quite double, petals moderate substance and form, gradually diminishing nearly to centre. Pretty flower.’ William Macarthur. [MP A2948-6].
Added on June 29 2009
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.
Added on April 21 2009
Hymenaea courbaril L.
Frost tender, evergreen tree with pointed, oblong-ovate leaves and large yellow, purple-striped flowers. To 20m. [RHSD, Hortus].
Added on December 23 2009
Rubus idaeus subsp. vulgatus ‘Red Antwerp’
A Rubus idaeus L. subsp. vulgatus cultivar. ‘Fruit large, roundish, inclining to conical, of a deep crimson colour, very fleshy, and with a fine brisk flavour and fine bouquet. There are several forms of this variety differing more or less from each other both in the fruit and the canes. The true old Red Antwerp produces vigorous canes, which are almost smooth.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.265/1860].
Added on June 04 2010
News
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
Essays
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
Thomas Harris (1885-1948)
Thomas Harris, born in Worcestershire in 1885, was a gardener at Camden Park from 1913 to 1938.
Published Aug 16, 2012 - 11:09 AM | Last updated Mar 16, 2015 - 02:12 PM
Letters on the Culture of the Vine Part 3: Grape Varieties and Diseases
Letters on the Culture of the Vine and Manufacture of Wine by Maro, pen-name of William Macarthur. Letters III and IV deal with grape varieties found suitable for New South Wales, and diseases of the vine.
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 Sep 01, 2010 - 05:24 PM | Last updated Jul 21, 2011 - 11:16 AM
Letters on the Culture of the Vine Part 7: The Vintage (Continued)
Letters on the Culture of the Vine and Manufacture of Wine by Maro, pen-name of William Macarthur. Letters IX, X and XI, reproduced in Part 6, dealt with the vintage, including the theory and practice of fermentation and preparation for winemaking. The vintage is continued in Part 7, letters XII and XIII giving a description of grape harvesting and crushing. The illustration used here is an excellent lithograph showing the grape harvest at the third vineyard at Camden Park in 1878.
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 Sep 24, 2010 - 05:07 PM | Last updated Jul 21, 2011 - 11:14 AM
About the Hortus
The Hortus attempts to correctly identify, describe, illustrate and provide a brief history of all the plants grown at Camden Park between c.1820 and 1861.
Plants in the Hortus
The Hortus plants served a wide range of purposes: ornament, living fences, fibre, dyestuffs, medicine, food from the garden and orchard, and many others.
Plant Families
Plants in the Hortus are grouped by Family, perhaps the most useful of the higher order classifications.
Essays
Essays enhance the Hortus by providing a level of detail about the gardens, people, and plants that would be inappropriate for an individual plant profile.
Hortus News
News provides an opportunity for people interested in the gardens to keep in touch with the work being done to maintain and reinvigorate the gardens and receive advance notice of events such as Open Garden days.