Stepping into the garden means death.

Dubbed as the most unique garden in the world, Alnwick (England) always attracts a large number of tourists annually due to its educational significance.

Touring England exploring the deadly garden

The Alnwick Garden, located next to the castle of the same name in Northumbria, England, welcomes adventurous visitors to the world of over 100 of the world's most dangerous plant species. Despite being called a toxic garden, Alnwick has an unexpectedly appealing appearance with meticulously trimmed lush greenery. Visitors have fainted here before, so everyone who comes to visit must strictly adhere to the rules of not smelling or touching any of the plants growing in the garden.

Alnwick Castle was once the darkest spot in Northern England. However, it's precisely because of its ancient yet somewhat eerie appearance that it became an ideal filming location for the popular Harry Potter series. Previously, the garden next to Alnwick Castle was abandoned and uncared for until Jane Percy became the Duchess of Northumberland in 1995. She wanted to turn this area into a garden, but instead of planting typical English countryside plants, she decided to sow fear, passion, and a hint of morbidity into it.

Jane Percy shared with Smithsonian: “If you want to create something special, a place where tourists come and can't forget, then it definitely has to be unique.” The idea came to Percy during a trip to Italy. Here, she had the opportunity to visit the famous poisonous garden of the Medici family in Padua, where she was introduced to the most dangerous plant species in the plant kingdom, which kill instead of heal. “It's fascinating to know how a plant can kill you, how you die, and what it feels like before you die,” the Duchess said.

From that idea, the poisonous garden opened its doors in 2004 and currently attracts about 800,000 visitors per year. Tourists can come to observe over 100 poisonous plant species, but they are not allowed to stand too close, explore the history, and legends associated with them. To care for these plants, gardeners must wear gloves and be extremely careful when tending to them.

Especially dangerous plants will be fenced off from the outside with iron fences and guarded day and night. Among them are plants where just one small seed is enough to kill a person. When visiting, tourists will be provided with a detailed guidebook about the plant species and their hazards, helping them to recognize and avoid poisonous plants that may appear in the natural world.

In addition, the garden is licensed to grow marijuana, cocaine, magic mushrooms, as well as opium and tobacco plants. “The goal of the garden is to provide educational significance for children. Here, they will hear about horrific stories and painful deaths, while also being warned about the consequences of drug use,” the Duchess said.

According to Vnexpress

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Reference: Travel guide Mytour