Rosa multiflora Thunb. alba

This rose may be synonymous with the variety Thunbergiana described by George Don.  The flowers of Rosa multiflora alba are not pure white but a pale flesh colour.  Paul describes them as creamy white, small and very double.  [Paul (1848, 1863, 1888)].  Rivers describes it as pretty and distinct.  [Rivers (1854, 1857, (1863)].  

Added on February 10 2010

Ginkgo biloba L.

Fully-hardy, columnar, then wide-spreading dioecious, deciduous tree with flat, fan-shaped leaves, to 12cm across, turning yellow in autumn, catkin-like male flowers, and solitary female flowers, followed by plum-like, yellow-green fruit, to 3cm long, in autumn.  To 30m.  [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers']. 

Added on January 25 2009

Dianthus caryophyllus Wilson’s ‘Plus Perfect’

For generic information on the garden Carnation and Picotee see Dianthus caryophyllus L.  Wilson’s ‘Plus Perfect’ is a light edged purple picotee, probably introduced in 1841.  [Gard. Chron. 1841].  ‘A great favourite with many, being above the average size, with a fine broad and pure petal; its slightly serrated edge will always prove a serious drawback.’  [Gard. Chron. 1846].  ‘This is a very beautiful Picotee, of the purple light-edged class. the white is of uncommon brilliance, and the lacing entirely confined to the edges of the petals.’  [FC p.218/1842].  ‘Light-edged, purple picotee: pod good and large; petals large and broad, but a little serrated; ground pure; edging fine and very distinct.’  [FC p.79/1849].  ‘An old flower, but a good one; the edging light and delicate, white good, rather difficult to increase, as its habit is not robust.’  [BF p.220/1844].

Added on April 12 2009

Brachychiton populneus (Schott & Endl.) R.Br.

Densely branched evergreen tree with lustrous, ovate leaves, varying from entire to 5-lobed on the same plant, and terminal and axillary, panicle-like cymes of saucer-shaped, green, cream or pink flowers, to 1.5cm across, spotted with brown or red, in summer.  To 20m.  [RHSE, Beadle, Blomberry, Hortus].

Added on March 07 2010

Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume

Frost tender tree with ovate leaves, to 18cm long, and long panicles of yellowish-white flowers.  To 13m.  [RHSD, Hortus].

Added on March 06 2009

Magnolia denudata Desr.

Fully hardy, spreading, deciduous shrub or tree with obovate leaves, to 15cm long, and cup-shaped, pure white flowers, to 15cm across, in spring before the leaves. To 10m by 10m.  [RHSE, Hortus, Hilliers'].

Added on March 24 2010

Oncidium leucochilum Batem. ex Lindl.

Frost-tender epiphytic orchid with very long, branching and pendulous flower spikes, to 3m long, and small, yellow-green flowers with dark brown markings and a white lip, in spring and summer. [RHSD, Hortus, Jennings].

Added on January 26 2010

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 Nov 05, 2011 - 04:10 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 - 03:47 PM

Working Bee dates

Working Bee dates for 2012.

Published Jun 29, 2010 - 02:59 PM | Last updated Jan 10, 2012 - 04:19 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 - 01:58 PM | Last updated Jan 09, 2012 - 04:31 PM

Some Account of the Vineyards at Camden

The vineyards of Camden Park are widely considered to be the first commercial vineyards in Australia. James and William Macarthur were certainly not the first to sell wine for profit or the first to export wine but were pioneers in the development of vineyards intended to produce a profit from the sale of quality wine. Prior to this wine was produced from small vineyards planted primarily for home consumption, with excess sold and sometimes exported.

The first vineyard was small, only one acre in extent, and largely experimental, but the second and third were on a much grander scale. As the closing words of this pamphlet demonstrate, James and William certainly had a vision of what was possible for Australian wine production, as they had previously for fine Merino wool.

‘Whether these Colonies can also hope to provide for the benefit of every class here at home, and at an equally moderate rate another exportable product, remains yet to be seen — so that even the tired artizan, in his hours of relaxation from toil, may not unseldom exclaim, “Go Fetch me a quart of (Australian) Sack.” ’

This short pamphlet outlining the Camden vineyards was produced to accompany samples of wine to the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in 1851.

Published Jan 10, 2011 - 03:54 PM | Last updated Jan 10, 2011 - 04:07 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 - 07:45 AM | Last updated Feb 29, 2012 - 02:08 PM

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 1: Introduction

‘Letters’ is an important book in the history of wine production in Australia and this is, I believe, the first time that the full text has been made available outside the major libraries. The value of William Macarthur’s book compared with earlier Colonial publications is that it is written from the perspective of over twenty years of experience of growing grapes and making wine in New South Wales. He does include theory from the pens of European authorities but the bulk of the book is written from personal experience. He is in effect saying ‘this is what we have found to work here’.

‘Letters’ is reproduced in 10 parts, beginning with the Introduction, which provides information on the history of the book and gives a synopsis of early experiences of vine importation and wine production.

Published Aug 27, 2010 - 05:50 PM | Last updated Nov 24, 2011 - 01:57 PM