The Darker Side of Plants
Series of talks explores the Darker Side of Plants – the marvels, mysteries, and murderous nature of the plant world - from fact to fantasy and fiction. Plants are full of surprises - they live in a parallel world to ours and have many hidden and strange facets. This series of talks uncovers plants for what they really can be - toxic, dangerous yet attractive, users of entrapment and carnivory, enticing and exotic yet not above using chemical warfare to defend their patch and themselves. Humans use them for healing and to deal out death, but also to help solve mysteries and as sources of creative (but dark) inspiration. Take a journey with us looking at specific aspects of plants: their chemicals, unusual lifestyles and interactions; and how we use (and have misused) them to discover new drugs, solve crimes, heal, commit murder and weave them into deadly gardens and fiction.
Speakers are diverse, expert and passionate about their subject. They include a renowned and talented biologist who searches the world for plants that kill; trained chemists who have been won over by the world of plants and their mysterious secrets (and write award winning books); an internationally respected botanist who solves crimes using plants, and an author and international garden historian.
May 11 - June 29 10:00 BST @thegardenstrust
