Poisonous Plants - Talk & Tour

Explore the unexpected history and modern uses of poisonous plants in garden spaces, where beauty and danger can grow side by side.
Join instructor Kaity Bevenour of Bloomistry as we trace the role of toxic plants in our lives, from home apothecaries and botanical treasures to modern medicine and hospital healing gardens. We’ll discuss modern examples of poison gardens like The Alnwick Garden and the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital poison garden, curated spaces where visitors and experts are able to safely observe the precarious line between life and death.
Afterwards, we will take a walking tour of Agecroft’s gardens to explore living examples such as castor bean, belladonna, and hellebores. Discover how these powerful plants have shaped medicine, garden design, the stories we tell about the landscapes around us, and even the plays and verse of William Shakespeare.
The take-home item will be medicinal or landscape friendly plants that have toxic components but are safe for general use.