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Blog
Is ivy poisonous?
Discover whether ivy is poisonous and learn more about where it grows, how to take care of it in your garden and why it’s a great plant for wildlife.
Kate Lewthwaite • 17 Aug 2021
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Blog
Foxglove and other poisonous plants: a list of toxic plants in the UK
A quick guide to five of the most poisonous plants you may encounter on a countryside walk in the UK. Learn how to recognise them and get fascinating facts on their toxicity.
Helen Keating • 01 Jul 2020
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Blog
Poisonous mushrooms: 8 most dangerous UK mushrooms
Your guide to 8 of the most poisonous mushrooms in the UK, including the terrifyingly named death cap, destroying angel and funeral bell. Find out where they grow, how to identify them and why you should steer clear!
Helen Keating • 27 Oct 2022
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Trees woods and wildlife
Lily-of-the-valley
Charming, sweetly scented and highly poisonous, lily-of-the-valley is a romantic woodland stunner.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Deadly nightshade
Attractive, psychoactive, dangerous. Found in scrub and woodland, the deadly nightshade lives up to its name. Though highly poisonous, it feeds woodland animals and even has medicinal properties.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Dog’s mercury
A poisonous coloniser of ancient woodland, dog’s mercury is quick to sweep over the wood floor, sometimes outcompeting more delicate ancient woodland species.
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Blog
Are bluebells poisonous? And more bluebell facts
Find out all about bluebells, including if they’re poisonous, when to see them and lots of other bluebell facts.
Hannah Vickers • 06 Apr 2020
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Trees woods and wildlife
Mistletoe
Romantic, parasitic and poisonous, mistletoe loves broadleaf trees and provides an important habitat for woodland wildlife. Its leathery green leaves offer welcome colour among bare winter branches when much else is dormant.
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Blog
Elephant hawk-moth: caterpillar, lifecycle and is it poisonous?
If you’ve been lucky enough to encounter a big, brightly coloured elephant hawk-moth, you’ll know you’ve seen something special. But what do elephant hawk-moth caterpillars look like, where does their name come from, and why are the adults pink?
Amy Lewis • 03 Jul 2018
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Trees woods and wildlife
Common earthball
Warty, poisonous, explosive. Common earthball might look like a potato, but it is not for eating.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Foxglove
Beautiful but deadly. This familiar flower has the power to cure and kill.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Morel
Highly prized and easily recognised, the morel is a favourite edible mushroom. It has a strong, nutty flavour and a pleasant, earthy smell and grows in a variety of habitats, including well-drained woodland. But beware, it is poisonous when raw.
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Blog
Best native hedge plants: choose the right hedges
Autumn and winter are the best times to plant a hedge. To get you started, here are our top 10 recommendations for the best native hedge plants and the amazing benefits they'll bring.
Helen Keating • 23 May 2023
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Blog
Foraging in April: edible wild plants to harvest
April is the time to look out for fresh new greens and herbs to give your food a seasonal springtime boost. Here are seven easy-to-identify edible herbs and plants to look out for.
Helen Keating • 27 Apr 2023
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Trees woods and wildlife
Hop
A twining hedgerow climber with a boozy use, hop has been used in the beer-making industry for centuries. Look out for it across the UK.
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Blog
Foraging in October: which wild mushrooms can you eat?
Explore the world of foraging with these top wild fungi picking and cooking tips. Here are five edible fungi that are easy to identify.
Helen Keating • 29 Oct 2018
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Trees woods and wildlife
Ivy
Clingy, luscious, misunderstood. Ivy has long been accused of strangling trees, but it doesn’t harm the tree at all, and even supports at least 50 species of wildlife.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Buckthorn, purging
Prickly and with the ability to purge. This plant’s common name harks back its use as a laxative. It’s a fierce, invasive species in North America.
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Blog
Foraging in June: edible flowers, plants and herbs
From fresh flowers to tender leaves, here are some edible plants to forage in June. These are my top tips on where to find them, and how to turn them into something tasty.
Helen Keating • 24 Jun 2021
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Trees woods and wildlife
Deathcap
Silent assassin and killer of kings. The deathcap has been used as a murder weapon for millennia.