Next to Alnwick Castle are some wonderful gardens that my wife and I explored during our stay in northern England.
What inspirational fuel for a writer! There was a bamboo maze, a tree house restaurant, a cherry orchard, and—best of all—a poison garden.
This part of the grounds was gated and locked and you could only visit it as part of a guided tour. Truly, every plant in that area was poisonous (even deadly) by touch or taste.
Marcie and I knew this was the place for us as soon as we saw the witch’s hut at the entrance. I’m currently redecorating my writing studio back home; this creepy display gave me a lot of ideas!
I have actually taught a “poisons” class in the past, as part of a “Spy and Mystery Camp.” So it was great to see all of these plants in person. Some of them are so poisonous that they are kept in cages!