The Poison Garden takes up just a small part of The Alnwick Garden in Northumberland. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in deadly potency...

The garden is hidden behind huge iron gates and a sign under a skull and cross bones reads: 'These plants can kill'.  Visitors to the garden, who must be escorted by a guide, are prohibited from smelling, touching or tasting any plants - with some unlucky tourists having fainted after inhaling the fumes while walking around.

The garden is home to around 100 'toxic, intoxicating, and narcotic' plants. These include the pretty blue flowers monkshood that not only has deadly berries, but also deadly leaves and stems.

Many of the plants, such as laurel, produce cyanide, while giant hogweed is phototoxic, meaning it will burn skin and can give you blisters for up to seven years. 

Like all open English gardens, The Poison Garden has to be maintained, meaning staff have to don hazmat suits just to tend to some of the more potent plants. 

The unusual garden was the brainchild of the Duchess of Northumberland, who wanted to steer away from the typical herb gardens and open a poison garden instead.