Bloomed With Pain; Flowers at the Alnwick Garden

Spring is blooming and with spring comes flowers but not all flowers are harmless as you might think. Some flowers actually bloom with pain such as the ones that reside in the Alnwick (Poison) Garden in the U.K.. The garden is set in the war garden of the old castle in Northumberland, U.K. These flowers are poisonous, as the name Poison Garden clarifies, but still beautiful in their own way. The garden was created by Jane Percy to help children learn about the dangers of drugs. Although it’s located halfway across the world, please come take a virtual “look” at some of the flowers that grow in the Poison Garden.

This garden is filled with more than 100 toxic plants. Ricin, more commonly known as the castor bean, is one of the most deadly plants in the garden. Tellebores is another dangerously common plant there. The leaves, stems, and roots of these plants are all poisonous. Although seldom fatal, anyone can become very ill if any part of the plant is ingested and must immediately seek medical attention. The workers there must wear gloves in all cases whatsoever. Giant hogweed, maybe not the most deadly but just very painful and inconvenient. When its toxic sap is touched it will give severe burns and blisters for over seven years. Though if you know what it looks like it might be easy to find as it grows up to 8 feet high.

Though all of the plants that reside are poisonous, some of them are used for curing illnesses. The yew is one of the most poisonous plants, but has a use to it. It is a cure that could be used for breast cancer.

As you can see the Alnwick Garden is a very unique garden that is full of information. If you want to tour the Alnwick Garden it can be found in Northumberland, U.K., though you would have to buy tour tickets as the garden is only open to guided tours. Blooms with beauty and pain, these are the plants at the Alnwick Garden.