Alnwick Gardens

Author: Emily Nelson

For years, lots of people in Northumberland, UK, have been talking about this “poisonous garden.” Known as “Alnwick Gardens.” Locals and tourists are left curious about how poisonous this garden truly is. But they are also excited about the many events this garden holds each year. Such as a “Halloween Spectacular,” this event brings out many lights, decorations, and spooky objects all through the garden for people to walk through and look at. You wear costumes and get many pictures. But after dark is when all the fun happens. The spookiness unveils itself and the haunted fun begins. It is for adults, but brave kids are allowed. The garden also hosts a ‘School of poison’ it was made for parents and kids to learn and have fun at a sweet and simple price of one adult ticket and 4 kids accompanied with them.

While yes, those events may sound fun, you must be cautious of the real danger they bring.

Alnwick Garden may be known for its beautiful and breath-taking views but do not let that fool

you. The plants can instantly kill you if you are not careful and follow the rules that are provided.

There is a big black metal gate located in the garden with many plants behind it. You may not

enter that section of the garden without a guide present and leading you through the section. The

two plants that are known for being behind the gate are “Ricin” (castor oil plant) which is the

most dangerous one I the garden and “Laburnum tree” which is the second most dangerous plant

in the garden.

Visitors and tourists are still astonished at the views and the dedicated challenging work that the

garden accurately expresses just by looking through the gates before entering the garden. Just by

doing the research on Alnwick Gardens I do not think the pictures you can find on the internet do

justice to how beautiful it really is.

The pictures below show one of the breath-taking views that Alnwick Garden demonstrates. The

other picture of the Black metal gate stating “These plants can kill” is the same gate that you are

not allowed to enter with a guide present leading you through that specific section of the garden.

By TSP - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikimedia Commons

By Steve F, CC BY-SA 2.0 Wikimedia Commons

While they warn you not to touch, smell, or eat the plants inside the garden They rarely mention

how they maintain the garden to make it look the way it does. The maintenance people must

wear full hazard suits, mask, gloves full body suits before touching any of the plants that may

need maintenance. As shown in an earlier picture. You can see all the equipment they have to

wear before going that close to one of the plants. Especially if it is located behind the black gate.

Works cited:

Ian Smith. “Lilidorei’s Halloween Spectacular Launches at The Alnwick Gardens.”

Northumberland Gazette. 3 Oct 2024. https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/whatson/

arts-and-entertainment/lilidoreis-halloween-spectacular-launches-at-the-alnwickgarden-

4809516. Accessed on 30 Oct 2024.

Ryan Smith. “The Alnwick Garden: ‘School of Poison’ is Now Open for Summer Holidays.”

The Sheilds Gazette. 21 Jul 2024. https://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/the-alnwickgarden-

school-of-poison-is-now-open-for-the-summer-holidays-4707631. Accessed on 3

Nov 2024.

Mona Bassil. “The World’s Most Unique Garden Could Also Kill You Easily.” The Travel. 22

Jul 2024.https://www.thetravel.com/alnwick-castle-poison-garden-deadly/. Accessed on

30 Oct 2024.

“Lilidorei’s Halloween Spectacular Launches at The Alnwick Gardens.” Photograph of

spookydorei celebrations at Lilidorei Northumberland Gazette.

https://www.alnwickgarden.com/2024/10/04/halloween-at-the-alnwick-garden-andlilidorei/

.published on 3 Oct 2024. Accessed on 5 Nov 2024.

“Discover Alnwick Garden”. Photograph of Alnwick Garden. Choosewhere.

https://choosewhere.com/alnwick-garden . Accessed on 5 Nov 2024.

Further research:

“Inside UK’S Deadliest Garden- Simply Touching or Smelling Flowers Could End in Death.”

https://www.express.co.uk/travel/articles/1889847/uk-deadliest-garden-Alnwick-Garden. New

reporter Christopher Sharp explains how deadly and serios this garden really is. He mentions the

Ricin plant (Castor Oil plant) which is the most poisonous there and the Laburnum tree, the

second most poisonous plant there. He also explains how important it is not to touch, smell or

taste any of the plants in the garden.

“Step Inside the World’s Most Dangerous Garden (If You Dare).”

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/step-inside-worlds-most-dangerous-garden-if-you-dare-

180952635/ . Natasha Geiling explains the history and how the Alnwick Gardens became a

thing. She also describes how the Percy family loses a family member and Jane Percy, and her

husband inherited Alnwick castle and 14 acres of land.

“Don’t Smell the Flowers: How Alnwick Castle’s Poison Garden Finds Beauty in the World’s

Deadliest Plants.” https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/648214/poison-garden-finds-beautyworlds-

deadliest-plants. Michele explains the story behind why the garden is what it is today

and how it it very dangerous to go in without an expert or guide there with you at all times.