WHAT'S NEW AT
ALNWICK CASTLE
GARDENS




Alnwick Castle in Northumberland will be immediately familiar to filmgoers worldwide. as the location where Harry Potter took his first flight on a broomstick. It doubled as Hogwarts School of Magic and Witchcraft.

Were Harry to be flying today over this northerly English stronghold he would see some magical changes. Most are taking place in the large garden that is located just 300 metres from the castle.

The gardens were impresive enough back in 1750 when the 1st Duke of Northumberland employed the celebrated gardener Capability Brown to landscape the parkland but today the present Duchess is driving forward schemes that are making it one of the most interesting gardens in Europe.

THE TREE HOUSE

One of the latest additions to Alnwick Gardens is the huge "tree house," which is more like a massive cedar scented castle than a "house."
As you go up the wooden ramp to enter it's pointed towers, turrets and viewing decks rise above you.

Delighted children scurry (safely) over the swaying rope bridges while relaxed adults eat on the timber decked verandah in the sky or look out at the woodland walk and eventually the 350 cherry trees that will be planted on the hill.

Inside you can dine sitting beside a huge open log fire. The roughly hewn high backed chairs and tree sliced tables divided by creepers add to a cosy atmosphere. It is a place where you might almost expect the food to be served by .elves rather than waitresses.

THE POISON GARDEN.

You enter the Poison Garden through a tunnel of Ivy. The potentially lethal plants are protected from curious hands by wide borders and in a few cases security bars. There are over a hundred plants in the garden and needless to say little old ladies strongly discouraged from snipping cuttings.

A guide gives an entertaining commentary and you learn about the myths legends and history of poisons. You also become aware of just how dangerous some of our more familiar plants can be.

Holly berries we know are harmful but we bring them into our home at Christmas, but as to legend In England Holly is planted close to the home to keep the witches away and in Ireland planted away from the house so that you don't disturb the faries that live in the holly.

Foxglove that slows the heart, Deadly Nightshade, Mandrake, Opium Poppies, Cannabis, Coca (Cocaine) are all to be seen up close and personal.

There is Giant Hogweed with its skin burning qualities, It is caged so that it can't escape and rampage the countryside.

Other poisons familiar from novels and films all stem from plants

Historically Strychnine or "Strychmis nuxaolica" was a very high class poison in Venetian society but in Victorian Britain when it became readily available as a rat poison it became popular with the working class women for getting rid of brutish husbands.

Hemlock, we learn is slow acting, paralyzes the body and and affects the brain last. Apparently Socrates was teaching his students all the time the hemlock was killing him.

It makes a most interesting tour and although you are not likely to grow anything that you see you come away more aware of the power of plants to cure or kill.

Two things mentioned towards the end:

The most dangerous plant of all, one that continues to kill millions is the tobacco plant.

According to legend If there is Rosemary growing in the garden it is a clear sign the that woman is in control of the household.

Now excuse me I must go and use my spade.

LABYRINTH BAMBOOZLED

If mazes bamboozle you, well it is supposed to be part of the fun.

It is apt that bamboo should be used In the newly created Labyrinth in The Alnwick Gardens. This one is fun and so long as you keep moving smoothly forwards and don't turn back you will eventually get out.

Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant on the planet and a new Chinese variety called "Fargesia" rufa has been planted on waist high fern banks. It is in a breezy corner of the garden so the idea is that as the bamboo rustles around and above there will be a magical environment of motion and sound.

 

ALNWICK GARDENS

The central feature of the Gardens is the massive Grand Cascade in which water tumbles down over some 21 weirs at the rate of over seven thousand gallons a minute. The climax is an eruption of 38 jets of water which reach a height of 6 metres. Children will find it fascinating and can enjoy scooping up the water using the toy tractors provided.

All the senses are appealed to and there are many paths to follow. If you go by way of the Rose Garden you can enjoy the colour and the fragrence as you walk through a collection of over 3000 roses.

 

Beyond the summit of the Grande Cascade you pass though the 500 year old wrought iron Venetian gates into the Ornamental Garden. There white doves flutter and glide from dovecoats on the wall and the Yew enclosed secret gardens fit into a pattern of rooms. Each has a different experience on offer.

The basic design is repeated throughout the garden drawning upon most of the 16,500 plants If you want to stop and take it in there are Douglas Fir benches to rest on.

With over half a million visitors the Alnwick Gardens is now the third most visited, paid for, Garden in the UK.

For more information visits their web page at http://www.alnwickgarden.com

 

report by Allan Rogers

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