Tucked away from the rest of The Alnwick Garden is its most lethal section, filled with all sorts of toxic flora. The Poison Garden is separated by black iron gates adorned with a skull and crossbones and a succinct message: ”These plants can kill.”
This portion was added to the gardens at the request of the Duchess of Northumberland in 2005. She desired something different from a regular garden, and it’s safe to say she got what she wanted.
Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), for example, smells like a rotting mouse and if consumed, could cause your muscles to deteriorate. Meanwhile, Ricinus (Ricinus communis) can cook you from the inside out, and Angel’s Trumpet (Brugmansia) causes hallucinations so vivid, you might cut off your own extremities. Because of the many dangers growing inside the garden, visitors are only allowed in with a guide.
Disturbingly, one of the most common things lead guide John Knox, 52, hears from individuals on his tours is, “Oh God, I’ve got that plant”. That’s because many of the plants in The Poison Garden grow throughout the UK, including the Mandrake (Mandragora officinarum). While this plant may not scream when pulled from the dirt like in Harry Potter, it does have a rather saucy history. “It’s basically the medieval version of Viagra,” says John. When sliced thinly, a poisonous compound called atropine inside the mandrake causes your heart to race, initiating the placebo effect of sexual excitement.
However, if sliced too thick, the heart would continue beating faster and faster for days, leading to muscle damage and even death.
Other plants don’t need to be ingested to cause damage. Even John, who knows how best to avoid the wrath of every plant within The Poison Garden, has been unlucky before. A change in the wind, the sun coming out from behind a cloud – that’s all it takes for something to go wrong.
“It’s basically the medieval version of Viagra”
Once, while showing off a Deadly Nightshade (Atropa Belladonna) berry to a tour group, John peeled back the sepals, or petals, which tightly cling onto the fruit if it rains. This may not sound like a big deal, but it only takes four of these sweet-tasting berries to kill a child, and even touching it could be harmful.
“The poison went straight through my skin and I could feel my heart beating faster and faster,” says John. “I’d only had a little bit of skin contact so I knew I wasn’t going to die.” However, he needed to sit on a bench for several minutes while he regained his strength.
While John could manage the effects of touching the Deadly Nightshade, other plants in The Poison Garden could ruin your life if you even brush against them. For example, Australia’s nastiest nettle, the Gympie-Gympie (Dendrocnide moroides), is kept under lock and key due to its unforgiving nature.
“That’s the one everyone is terrified of,” says John. The leaves of the Gympie-Gympie are covered in hair-like needles made of silica, which break down inside the body if touched. “It feels like being set on fire, electrocuted and having hot acid put on you at the same time,” says John. This feeling can last for years if the needles don’t fully break down once inside you.
“It feels like being set on fire, electrocuted and having hot acid put on you at the same time”
The Poison Garden is a magnet for anyone interested in grisly, historical tales of nature’s ruthlessness. The grim conversation brings tour groups together and allows people to indulge in their morbid interests.
While The Poison Garden caters to large groups, most of Knox’s tours also include individuals who come because of their medical and forensic interests. According to John, there is almost always an exchange of information, whether it’s someone sharing their research or perhaps their own horrifying realisation that they have this plant in their garden.
Adult tickets start at £16.80 and children get in free. To learn more about The Alnwick Poison Garden and purchase tickets, click here.