(TargetLiberty.org) – The English are famous for their love of gardening, and it typically seems like a pretty harmless hobby. If you visit Alnwick in the northern county of Northumberland, though, beware of local green spots. One of them isn’t a garden to die for; it’s a garden to die in.
Alnwick Castle’s famous gardens have been open, with a few interruptions, since 1750. But, in 2005, the Duchess of Northumberland added a new section – the Poison Garden. Inspired by the Italian Medici family, she set out to create an ornamental area where every plant could kill you.
POISON GARDEN, Alnwick Garden, UK 🇬🇧
The Poison garden in England is dubbed as the 'world's deadliest garden’ as it has over 100 various types of plants that can kill a person.The most dangerous plants are kept in cages. pic.twitter.com/NuMHVCMj9B— shepherd jo (@shepherd__jo) August 1, 2021
The duchess claims this lethal addition to her home is for educational purposes. When she selected the deadly species that live in the Poison Garden, her rule was that every plant must have a story to tell. One of her favorites is Angel’s Trumpet, a South American relative of deadly nightshade. Victorian ladies would add a tiny amount of its pollen to their tea for its hallucinogenic and aphrodisiac powers – but, sprinkle too heavily and death awaited.
Behind the Poison Garden’s sinister, skull-emblazoned black gates are over a hundred species of plant – every one of them a killer. Visitors have to be escorted as they tour it, and aren’t allowed to touch or even sniff any of the plants. Even so, guests in the past have reportedly fainted after inhaling toxic fumes. “People think we’re being overdramatic,” said the duchess, “but I’ve seen the health and safety reports.”
The Poison Garden sounds like a great day out, but you should maybe leave the kids at home.
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