An age-old debate was opened up on my autumnal weekend trip, perfect for the half term
Rebecca’s son Logan at Alnwick Gardens(Image: Rebecca Koncienzcy)
During one of my countless late-evening TikTok scrolling marathons, I discovered a garden housing some of the planet’s most lethal plants that welcomes visitors. Alnwick Gardens is a modern horticultural attraction that has welcomed the public for the past two decades.
The site features an impressive water feature, the globe’s largest cherry tree collection, and a secure poison garden accessible only through guided tours. Gathering my family for an autumn weekend escape, we departed for Northumberland on Friday evening after work and school.
The journey from Wirral took four hours, bringing us to the Ashington Premier Inn positioned between Alnwick and Newcastle, reports the Express.
The accommodation sits beside Queen Elizabeth II Country Park, established on the former Woodhorn colliery grounds, costing just £116 for our family of four for two nights – an absolute steal.
Saturday morning saw us heading directly to explore the gardens, where over 100 visitors faint every year.
The beautiful water feature at Alnwick Gardens(Image: Rebecca Koncienzcy)
However, not without a swift Greggs visit for breakfast; being in the North East, it would have been ride to skip this ritual.
The welcoming team initially struggled with my Merseyside husband’s request for a sausage barm until realisation dawned, prompting a cheerful Geordie response: “Oh, you mean a roll.”
This exchange highlighted how the eternal regional argument over “bap, barm, roll and batch” continues to rage on.
The journey to Alnwick Gardens is a spectacle in itself, with the surrounding trees showcasing their autumn colours.
Upon arrival, visitors are welcomed by an impressive cascading water fountain. However, the main attraction for many is the poison garden.
Poison Gardens at Alnwick in Northumberland(Image: Rebecca Koncienzcy)
Hidden behind a heavy black gate and under careful watch, this garden houses some of the world’s most deadly plants. Visitors must wait for a guided tour and adhere to strict rules: “no pickin’ and no lickin'”.
Many of the plants appear harmless, even beautiful. But don’t be fooled.
The guides will explain how these seemingly innocent plants can cause severe illness or even death if ingested. Some plants are so dangerous they are kept behind bars.
The castor oil flower behind a cage as its seeds are some of the deadliest in the world(Image: Rebecca Koncienzcy)
It’s not uncommon for visitors to faint during the tour; in fact, over 100 have done so this year.
Despite the potential dangers, the guides manage to keep the tours entertaining as well as informative. The most lethal plant pointed out to my tour group was the castor oil plant, which is kept safely in a cage due to its deadly nature.
The three seeds inside the ominous flower can be harvested, and a skilled chemist could use them to produce between 30 and 300 doses of lethal ricin, for which there is no known antidote.
Each tour is unique, so it’s worth revisiting with a different guide and at various times throughout the year when other sinister flowers are in bloom.
While our poison garden tour was hard to beat, the rest of the gardens are stunning, ideal for a leisurely walk and a picnic – if you can stomach it after learning about the Gympie-Gympie plant’s potential to drive people to suicide.
Rebecca’s children in one of the turrets of Lilidorei(Image: Rebecca Koncienzcy)
Alnwick Gardens also features a cafe and gift shop, and you can extend your visit to include Lilidorei, located within the grounds. This expansive outdoor play area kept my five-year-old entertained for over two hours as they explored the fairytale-style turrets, bridges, and slides.
The play area was tidy and safe, with staff on hand to prevent any mishaps on the slides. It truly was an ideal way to spend a lovely autumn day, and with half-term just around the corner, I highly recommend this as a memorable day out with the children.
They’ll be pestering you to return before you know it.
You can find Alnwick Gardens and Lilidorei in Alnwick, Northumberland, using the postcode NE66 1FJ.
If you’re only interested in garden access, four children can enter for free with one adult ticket priced at £18.95.
Lilidorei tickets, which include garden access, are priced at £21.45 per adult and £17.60 per child aged three to 16, with under threes entering for free.
The day we visited, parking was priced at £3.50.