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[AdrianH]

http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/9175032.Poisonous_flowers_were_planted_in_Kendal_park/

RED-FACED council staff unwittingly planted one of the world’s deadliest flowers near a park where children play in Kendal.

 A number of purple-flowering plants in a plot near Abbot Hall Social Centre, on Dowkers Lane, have been identified as the poisonous monkshood variety of the aconitum napellus, by Kendal botanist Thomas Gudgeon.

 They can be deadly to both humans and animals - and are even used to make poison arrows.......... (more)

Where did they get the seeds/plants from in the first place ?

[roseway]

It's readily available for sale, as are many other poisonous plants.

http://www.floraselect.co.uk/shop/aconitum/aconitum-napellus-album---monkshood-|1892/#1892

But you're right, it was pretty stupid of the council gardeners to plant it in a public park.

[Oranged]

Best if they don't get their hands on one of these then :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-14416809

[silversurfer44]

Yeh! they could feed the council gardeners to it then.

[kitz]

I'm glad its all been removed and no-one hurt.

Must say reading the comments below was rather errrrrrm interesting... 

Im not in any position to judge, but this post seems to be closer to the truth...  bearing in mind that the photograph of Abbots Park is very obviously photo-shopped with an image of the plant overlaid.

I think that this story has got a little out of hand. seems to me that the true facts have been ignored and sensationalism been given a free rein! The person who saw the plant went straight to the Gazette and not to the Council.

The plant isnt in Abbott Hall Park, it was behind the restaurant next to the Social Club and it isnt the South American variety that is reported but a cultivated type that could be bought across the country in most garden centres.

We must remember that many plants , fox gloves to conkers would be poisonous if eaten so best not eat any that you dont recognise!

So in truth, not such a juciy story! but that wouldn't create much interest now would it!