THE POISONOUS GARDEN
Immersive exhibit designed to intrigue and educate
An intriguing garden at RHS Tatton exploring a darker side of horticulture, showing a large range of fascinated deadly plants.
The Poisonous Garden was designed as an immersive and thought-provoking feature of RHS Tatton with hopes of captivating visitors while revealing the darker side of plants.
Curated in collaboration with the Royal Horticultural Society, the garden invites guests to explore a world where beauty and danger exist side by side.
At its heart, the experience was both educational and theatrical. Information boards illustrated with imagery from the RHS Lindley Library were utilised to bring to life fascinating stories of historic poisonings and the role plants have played throughout human history. A central theatre space was created to hosts engaging talks and demonstrations.
The planting itself was designed to intrigue and caution in equal measure. Due to risk and to add drama, certain species were displayed within protective cages including cycads such as the sago palm, a popular houseplant that is highly toxic to both humans and animals. The garden served as a powerful reminder that some of the most attractive plants can also be among the most dangerous.
Sustainable and creative construction techniques defined the structure of the garden. Black sandbags and coir mesh were used to form informal, cost-effective bed boundaries, while reclaimed telegraph poles introduced vertical structure, height and a sense of raw drama throughout the space. Behind the scenes, months of dedicated research by Michael John McGarr informed the careful selection and placement of each plant species.
