The Poisonous Garden

Did you know...

• Information boards, illustrated with images taken from the RHS Lindley Library, tell stories of famous poisonings while a central theater space hosts talks on deadly plants throughout the show
• Cages around some plants, for example the cycad commonly known as a sago palm and used as a houseplant, are a reminder that some plants are extremely deadly to people and animals
• Black sandbags and coir mesh are used as an inexpensive and easy way to form boundaries for the beds. Old telegraph poles add height and drama
• Michael has been researching the plants to use in this garden for several months

About the garden

The Poisonous Garden is a feature to capture the imagination, and in which visitors can explore the gruesome and dangerous nature of some of our best-loved plants.

Be surrounded by peril in The Poison Tunnel and lured-in by pretty plants with a dark side – all housed safely out of reach. There are talks, tours and demos, courtesy of plant expert Michael Brown; Mr Plant Geek, Michael Perry; and poisonous plant scientist Elizabeth Dauncey.

The immersive and engaging walkthrough feature is split into four key areas comprising The Poison Tunnel; Pretty Deadly Plants; Hungry Carnivorous Plants; and The Apothecary. It has been designed and curated by the RHS alongside Gold medal-winner Warnes McGarr & Co.