Poison Garden opens its doors in Britain

[jamotto]

Link

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LONDON (AFP) - A groundbreaking -- and deadly -- Poison Garden threw open its doors in northeast England with a much talked about collection of cannabis plants, opium poppies and the coca plant that is the source of cocaine.

Mind-bending magic mushrooms, poisonous foxgloves, deadly nightshades, tobacco plants and wild lettuce tranquillisers are also among the 50 dangerous plants cultivated in the garden at Alnwick Castle, designed by Belgian landscape artist Peter Virtz.

To highlight its hazardous nature, the Poison Garden's beds are laid in the shape of flickering flames. Visitors will be also escorted through the grounds, where the most deadly plants are being kept behind security bars.

The 400,000-pound (560,000-euro, 768,000-dollar) garden is the brainchild of Jane, Duchess of Northumberland, who is turning Alnwick Castle -- a backdrop to Harry Potter (news - web sites) movies -- into a major draw for Britain's legion of horticultural enthusiasts.

"The garden's appeal of danger presents teachers and parents with a new avenue to tackle drug awareness with young people," said the duchess, who had to get Home Office permission to create the garden.

"After all, young people are more fascinated by what plants can kill you than what plants are good for you.

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[Scrivener]

That's actually a very intriguing idea. Were such a thing proposed in America, lawsuits would be flying that very hour.

[jamotto]

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Originally posted by Scrivener:

That's actually a very intriguing idea. Were such a thing proposed in America, lawsuits would be flying that very hour.

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That is possible, I know the local Botanical Garden used to have a few of the planets listed in the article.

[Guest DocHoliday]

"The garden's appeal of danger presents teachers and parents with a new avenue to tackle drug awareness with young people," said the duchess, who had to get Home Office permission to create the garden."

hehe, seems to me, people would be more prone to trying to STEAL a stash for later use

Ah, the royalty....