Lupinus paniculatus Desr. var. pubescens (Benth.) Wedd.

Hardy annual with violet-blue flowers with a white centre.  To 90cm.  [RHSD, Hortus].  Said to be a hybrid of Lupinus paniculatus var. pubescens, the other parent not given.

Added on October 03 2009

Wikstroemia indica (L.) C.A.Mey.

Small tree or shrub, sometimes low and spreading, sometimes arborescent, with glossy ovate leaves, to 6cm long, and terminal fower heads of few greenish yellow to white flowers, followed by red, toxic fruits.  To 1.5m.  [FNSW, Flora Australiensis].

Added on March 06 2010

Gardenia augusta (L.) Merrill var. fortuniana

See Gardenia augusta (L.) Merrill var. flore pleno for details.  Fortuniana has flowers larger than the type.  

Added on February 08 2010

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].  

Added on June 21 2009

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.].  

Added on May 25 2009

Alyxia species unidentified

These are possibly tropical Australian species collected by Dr. Leichardt.  Alyxia is a genus of about 80, mostly tropical shrubs with small, white, usually sweet-scented, five-petalled flowers resembling propellers, followed by glossy, orange or red fruits.  There are 9 species in Australia, 3 of which, Alyxia buxifolia, A. ruscifolia and A. spicata are in cultivation.  [Wrigley].  

Added on January 16 2009

Scadoxus multiflorus (Martyn) Raf.

Frost-tender bulbous perennial, with wavy-edged basal leaves and spherical heads of red flowers with conspicuous stamens, followed by orange berries, in summer.  The leaves may be present or absent at flowering.  To 60cm.  Quite variable, with many geographical forms, many separately named in the early literature.  [RHSE, Hortus, Baker Am.].  

Added on May 27 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

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

Letters on the Culture of the Vine Part 6: The Vintage

Letters on the Culture of the Vine and Manufacture of Wine by Maro, pen-name of William Macarthur. Letters IX, X and XI deal with the vintage, including the theory and practice of fermentation and preparation for winemaking. The process of winemaking is dealt with in more detail in subsequent letters. The illustration used here is a wine label from the 1852 Muscat vintage. Follow this link to further examples of wine labels from this period.

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 15, 2010 - 03:53 PM | Last updated Jul 21, 2011 - 11:15 AM

Colonial Australian Wines

The following article appeared in The Gardeners’ Chronicle of Saturday, November 25th, 1854. It includes a review of seven wines sent to the proprietors of The Gardeners’ Chronicle from Camden Park by William Macarthur, together with his notes on the wines, the vineyards in which they were produced and the economic conditions pertaining to wine production and sale in Australia. Macarthur’s brief notes, when read with the more detailed essay Some Account of the Vineyards at Camden, extends our knowledge of wine production at Camden but most importantly provides an external (but not necessarily unbiased) view of the quality of the wines.

Published Jun 30, 2011 - 02:12 PM | Last updated Jul 04, 2011 - 09:00 AM

Letters on the Culture of the Vine Part 5: Management and Replenishment of the Vineyard

Letters on the Culture of the Vine and Manufacture of Wine by Maro, pen-name of William Macarthur. Letters VII and VIII deal with the management of the vineyard after planting, the use of manures and the replenishment of an exhausted vineyard. The illustration used here is Macarthur’s Plate 2, a section of a vineyard. This is referred to in detail in Part 4, however it does illustrate the method of vine culture recommended and described here, the dwarf-standard method which at this time was practiced mostly in the north of France.

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 09, 2010 - 05:49 PM | Last updated Jul 21, 2011 - 11:15 AM