Lessons From The Poison Garden

Introduction

I wrote a story about my plans for this week and today I visited the Alnwick Garden but this is specifically about a went-five minute guided tour around The Poison Garden which may not be exactly what you expect and may disturb you. One of the first poisons that children encounter is nettles and they soon learn that the cure for a nettle sting is to rub it with dock leaves that contain oxalic acid.

Please watch the included video, it is only two minutes and may surprise you. it is also very darkly funny.

This is the one about my plans for the week.

Through The Gate Of The Poison Garden

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and entertaining and led us through the garden explaining how common and not so common plants can be hazardous. You may have many of these in your home and garden. I will just list a few of these for your information and entertainment.

Rhubarb (Polygonaceae)

Rhubarb stalks are eaten widely as a dessert, but the leaves are very toxic because they contain oxalic acid and anthraquinone alkaloids. Death occurs quickly preceded by nausea, vomiting and internal bleeding.

The thing is during the First World War there were food shortages and the government distributed leaflets recommending that people use rhubarb leaves in their cooking. After the deaths that started as a result they recalled the leaflets but did not destroy them. They reissued them in the Second World War with the same result.

It would not surprise me if the current British government did the same thing.

Holly (Ibex Aquifolium)

Although holly berries are eaten by birds they are poisonous to humans. According to legend, holly planted near a house repelled poison and defended it from lightning and witchcraft.

Bluebell, Wild Hyacinth, Snowdrop

All are often mistaken for onions and can cause nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting.

A Few Poisoners

There are four notorious poisoners with posters on the wall of The Poison Garden with their preferred method of murder.

• Lahvir Singh - The Curry Killer - Aconitum Ferox (Monk's Hood)
• Graham Young- The Teacup Poisoner - Attopa Belladonna (Deadly Nightshade)
• Harold Shipman - Doctor Death - Papaver somniferum (Opium Poppy)
• Georgi Markov (Victim) - The Umbrella Murder -Ricinus Communi (Castor Bean)

These are just four poisoners, and I actually worked on supplying the data used in Shipman's conviction

Daffodil (Narcissus 'Tresamble')

Linked with death since ancient times, the bulbs contain poisonous alkaloids but are often used like spring onions to bad effect. Medieval maids used to lay daffodil bulbs about to poison mice and other vermin.

Rosemary (Rosemarinus Officinalis)

Rosemary oil can cause convulsions and abortions in pregnant women. Rosemary bushes were planted around graves to keep the dead from walking.

Willow (Salix Alba)

Willow bark is a natural source of aspirin, which thins the blood and can cause death if too much is ingested.

Cannabis - Cannabis Sativa (Cannabindaceae)

It is a Class C drug (illegal to own or supply) that works on nerve endings and can produce an exhilarating intoxication with hallucinations. It is also hypertensive and can create delirium, catalepsy and heart problems, as well as paranoia and anxiety.

The Alnwick Garden is allowed to grow it under license from the government as you can see from the humourous photograph that I took.

Conclusion

I have included just a few of the plants that you may have in your vicinity. It is amazing the number of poisons that are so close to us every day. We need to be careful not to take in things that may harm us.

I also discovered that apple pips contain cyanide and if you taste them then you are tasting cyanide. The almond taste that you get in amaretto biscuits is not almond but cyanide, so be warned.

I do hope you have enjoyed this and if you ever get the chance take a visit to the Alnwick Garden