United Kingdom - Petite Haus

Angelina October 21, 2015 England

The Poison Garden… Enter if You Dare!

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Have you ever heard of the poison garden? I thought I would share this spooky garden since Halloween is just around the corner. It is located within the formal gardens of Alnwick Garden which is located in Northumberland, England. Of course the garden is in England… they seem to have a garden for everything over there!

entrance to the Poison Garden, pic from Smithsonian

The formal garden was founded in 1750, but the poison garden was added in February 2005. The Duchess of Northumberland was inspired by a trip to Italy after visiting the Medici poison garden. The Medicis had their own poison garden which they grew plants used to poison their enemies!

Don’t touch the plants in the cages… the parts of the blooming yellow laburnum tree can cause somnolence, vomiting, and coma! picture from Smithsonian

The Duchess thought that this garden would be interesting to children… she said children “don’t care that aspirin comes from tree bark, but they would be interesting to know how a plant kills you”. She thought it was a way to educate children without having them realize they are being educated. I agree, I’m totally into this garden and I’m not a kid. (Although I AM a geeky nerd… with a degree in biochemistry!)

This plant produces castor oil, but did you know it also contains the deadly toxin, ricin? picture from Smithsonian

So, she started collecting poisonous plants for her garden. The requirement for the plants is that they must be poisonous and have a good story to tell.

The angel trump flower, in everyone’s backyards, right? Don’t eat the pollen… you will start hallucinating!

Since this is a poison garden, all visitors are prohibited from touching or smelling the plants! Definitely do not stop and smell the roses in this garden!

Monkshood… used to poison villages by putting the roots in the water supply!
Source: Smithsonian Mag

Let’s look at some other plants…
Wolfsbane… famous from Harry Potter. If eaten, it causes severe GI upset, but its effect on the heart causes your heart to slow down. However, it’s distinctive taste will likely keep you from eating too much!

source: the poison garden

Atropa Belladona, aka, deadly nightshade! It contains hyoscine, hyoscyamine, and atropine! Say what? If eaten, it causes dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, blurred vision, drowsiness, hallucinations, delirium, elevated heart rate, coma, seizures, and death! A study in 1996 found this plant has caused more serious incidents than any other plant.

source: the poison garden

Why do people die from this plant? Because of the berries! Look how plump they are! Don’t they look delicious? As a bonus, the berries taste kind of sweet too! So you keep eating them!

source: the poison garden

One of my favorites below… Foxglove! This plant’s name in Latin is Digitalis. Heard of that before? It is the plant used to make the medicine digoxin, which has saved thousands of people since it was first created. The problem with this plant though, is it will only save your life IF you need it for certain heart conditions…. otherwise it will cause slowing of the heart rate and heart attack!

Digitalis, source: the poison garden

One last look at a common plant, the laurel shrub (cherry laurel, English laurel, laurel)! The leaves contain… cyanide! Yes, it’s true! Don’t munch on these leaves or death will be on its way! The cyanide will cause your oxygen to go low and eventually headache, confusion, and coma! Don’t get these confused with bay leaves that are used for cooking… bay leaves are also a type of laurel bush!

the cherry laurel, source: the poison garden

While all of these plants are organic, do not let them term “organic” fool you! You see, even cyanide is organic! Buying organic this and organic that in the store is all a marketing ploy and an improper use of the term organic. They should really use pesticide-free or other terms.

Not all of Alnwick Garden in England contains poisonous plants, if you visit there are other pretty parts of the garden…

Sources: Poison Garden, Smithsonian Mag

Written at http://peoniesandorangeblossoms.blogspot.com

linking up at: amaze me monday The Scoop! Metamorphosis Monday’s Inspire Me Tuesday Wow us Wednesdays! Creative Ways Share Your Style Thursday Favorite Things, Home Sweet Home Feathered Nest Fridays Foodie Friday & Everything Else Sunday’s Down Under

Follow:

Angelina April 6, 2015 Beauty and Fashion

What to Pack for Vacation in Your Carry-On

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

I travel frequently and I thought I would share my guide about what to pack in your carry-on luggage bag.

I find that keeping these items in your carry-on makes you flight much more pleasant! This guide works for both domestic and international trips.

Nº 1 // Noise canceling headphones – I *highly* recommend noise canceling headphones, especially for your 12 hour flights. I have them both. I like the earbuds because they are less bulky (and the case is smaller too) and don’t mess up my hair. The over-the-ear noise canceling headphones work better than the earbuds, have nicer sound quality and are nicer for longer flights. Either way, it is up to you and your preference!

Nº 2 // Hair brush – 12 hours is a long time for your hair to look bad, especially in the dry environment . You are guaranteed to get sleepyhead after trying to snooze sitting straight up.

Nº 3 // Camera – you need to put your camera in your carry-on so it does not get lost or stolen in your checked bag. I have a GoPro camera and I cannot sing enough praise about it for a travel camera especially if you like to hike/do adventurous things. It is waterproof, you can take it surfing, snorkeling, swimming, hiking, biking.

Nº 4 // Hand cream – It’s really dry in the airplane. You will be wanting hand cream.

Nº 5 // Lip Balm – Your lips will get dry on the airplane.

Nº 6 // a Pen – You will need to fill out some customs papers at some point. Bring a pen!

Nº 7 // Granola bar – This is nice to have because you never know when you’ll need some sustenance. I am loving the Kind bars right now.

Nº 8 // Water bottle – I usually just buy one in the airport, that way if I’m desperate for space on the way home I can toss it. However, you can also bring your own!

Nº 9 // iPad – The iPad has everything I need… books, movies, music, and a notepad to jot down thoughts. I read my travel books on this on the way to the location I’m headed to.

Nº 10 // Keys – Don’t forget your house and car keys! Get this bluetooth key finder keychain if you tend to lose your keys like me!

Nº 11 // Make up bag – Trust me, you’ll want to do some touching on before landing so keep your make up organized in a chic make up bag.

Nº 12 // Hand sanitizer – Airplanes are full of germs. You’ll feel better after using this, even if you washed your hands in the loo.

Nº 13 // Charging Essentials For your Electronics! – I recommend a portable power battery pack so that way your phone or smart device won’t die on long plane! Also, when you get to your hotel room you will probably only have about two plugs and so many things to charge. We use this USB multi port charger – it has two USB ports that charge faster, and is foldable and compact for travel and has UK and EU adapters as well! It is the best.

Nº 14 // Ear plugs – You will wish you had these when the screaming baby or chatty neighbor sits behind you on your twelve hour flight!

Nº 15 // Mint gum – Gum helps your ears pop in ascent/descent and gives you some fresh breath!

Nº 16 // Munchies – You will need something to munch on, as I’m sure you’ll either get hungry or bored. I like to bring dried fruit or popcorn as they fill the munchie need but don’t fill you with tons of extra calories.

Nº 17 // Blanket scarf – The temperature of the airplane varies too much. A blanket scarf is nice for those temperature fluctuations.

Nº 18 // Evian water spray – This Evian water spray is so nice and refreshing during a long flight!!

Nº 19 // Passport and wallet – If there’s one thing you *must* bring on international travel it is your passport. If you’re traveling overseas, you will want an anti RFID theft one because apparently over there in crowded spaces/subways/buses they will use little scanners and steal your credit card information from your chip credit card.

Nº 20 // Travel size perfume – You’ll want to reapply your perfume just before you get off of your flight.

Nº 21 // Travel bag – You need a bag big enough to fit all of this stuff in that fits under the seat in front of you! My FAVORITE bag is this expandable longchamp bag – I have both sizes this larger one and this smaller one. However I LOVE this non-expandable version too and actually will use it as my purse on travel!

Nº 22 // Eye mask – You will want this for when the person next to you leaves their reading light on the whole flight. I like this silk one or my favorite one here.

Nº 23 // Toothbrush and toothpaste – So, 10 hours into your international flight, it is now suddenly morning time where you land and you realized you haven’t brushed your teeth in approx 24 hours. You’ll be glad you brought this!

Nº 24 // Slipper socks – I always take off my shoes while sitting in my chair on international travel and put slipper socks on over my regular socks. It keeps my toes warm… just make sure you put on your shoes before you start walking around the plane. You could take these foldable ballet flats which are super comfy and then you can wear them on your trip. They are so nice because they fold up perfectly into your carry on!

Nº 25 // Carry-on Suitcase – I personally travel an older version of this Tumi International Bag. My Father used to travel all of the time (seriously, 500k miles!) and the Tumi bag has survived! I seriously cannot sing enough praise about Tumi bags. They are expensive but worth the money. If you are mainly a domestic traveler, then this Tumi Domestic Carry On bag is GREAT as well ( have that one too!). The Rimowa Bags are extremely popular as well, but I don’t use them so I can’t give a review. Don’t know the difference between International and Domestic Bags? The international bags are slightly smaller and fit within the regulations of the European airlines!

Nº 26 // Jet Lag Mask – Since I’ve created this list, a brand new beauty mask came out this year and I cannot sing enough praises about it! It’s called the Jet Lag Mask and it is seriously FANTASTIC. Like if you had to buy one beauty thing to travel with it is this mask! It makes your dehydrated sorry looking airplane skin look amazing! It seriously did wonders to my face. The great part is you don’t have to rinse it off – you just wipe off the excess after 10 minutes.

Nº 27 // A Travel Pillow – On a really long flight it is nice to have an extra pillow besides the one they give you. There is this one that has 3000 reviews on Amazon, this one that is more like a scarf/wrap/pillow. My most recent trip I got these blocks that blow up – they seemed stupid at first but I LOVED them so much I am never going on an international flight again without them.

Shop the post below!

Miss any of my Paris Posts?? Check them out here!

Headed to Paris or London? Check out my What to Pack to Paris and London post here.

What to Pack for your Vacation in Your Carry-On

SaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

Follow:

Angelina March 12, 2015 Beauty and Fashion

Packing List: What to Pack to Paris

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

I travel to Paris and London frequently and I am sharing with you a guide about what to wear to these cities.

I usually go to Paris and London in the Spring or Fall, but I have been there in the Summer too.

With that in mind, I have shared some of my favorite pieces that you can layer easily.

I always fit all of my clothes onto a carry-on bag. I’ve heard horror stories of lost checked bags on international trips – especially stories of this happening in Paris because France frequently goes on strike!

Imagine going to the most fashionable city without clothes! The horror!

Tops and Tees

Nº 1 // A Breton Striped Tee– You have to wear a striped tee in France!

Nº 2 //A white and grey t-shirt – A white tee and grey tee go with everything.

Nº 3 // A Nice Blouse – You need a blouse that you can wear to a nice restaurant.

Nº 4 // Chambray Shirt – I like this shirt because it goes with everything and is fashionable.

Nº 5 // Sleeveless Shirt – It is nice to pack a sleeveless shirt or tank top because that way you are prepared for unexpected (or expected!) warm weather! Sometimes the museum can become very hot too.

Outerwear and Dresses

Nº 6 // A Black Blazer – This is essential as you can dress this blazer up or down.

Nº 7 // Long Sweater Cardigan – A long sweater cardigan is great for layering and on the airplane and for cooler days.

Nº 8 // A Little Black Dress – A LBD is a wardrobe staple and can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion.

Nº 9 // The Trench Coat – You need a trench coat that will keep you dry in Europe! It frequently rains there for all seasons, except the middle of Summer.

Jeans and Pants

Nº 10 // Jeans – The Europeans love skinny jeans.

Nº 11 // Black Skinny Jeans– You can’t go wrong with a pair of black skinny jeans. They are nice because you can dress then up or down as well.

Shoes

Nº 12 // Ballerina Flat – The ballerina flat is a must-wear in Paris.

Nº 13 // Black Booties – Black booties and boots never go out of style, especially in Europe!

Nº 14 // Mules and Loafers- If you are going to London or Paris in the warmer months, I suggest wearing some slip on mules or loafers instead of bringing booties.

Nº 15 // Retro Cool Sneaker – I have been wearing these Converse Chuck Taylors to Europe for years and every time I go, Europeans ask me where I got my shoes. *smirk, they think I’m cool*

Accessories

Nº 16 // A Scarf – You must bring one scarf with you for the plane and then buy all other scarves in Paris.

Nº 17 // A Cross bodybag – A small cross body shoulder bag is perfect for your slim camera, passport, wallet, travel umbrella, and lip gloss. Honestly though, buy a bag in Paris when you’re there.

Nº 18 // a Necklace– Accessorize your outfit with a necklace. I recommend a simple necklace as the big bold necklaces are not fashionable there. The scarf instead is worn as a statement necklace.

Nº 19 // Travel Umbrella – Who knows when it’s going to rain.

Nº 20 // A watch – I find that when I go to Europe I wear a watch compared to when I am back in the US. I usually use my cell phone in the USA, but as I frequently don’t carry my phone there, I actually wear a watch to tell the time.

Nº 21 // Sunglasses – I always wear a pair of chic sunglasses to Europe. You will find yourself walking around outside a lot (8-10 miles per day!) and you will find some sunglasses very helpful!

Shop my picks here:

What to Pack to Paris 2015 2016 by Peonies and Orange Blossoms.

If you are headed overseas, be sure to check out my guide to what to pack in your carry-on bag for the airplane flight!SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

Follow:

Angelina January 15, 2014 travel

A Downton Abbey Castle

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

A Downton Abbey Castle… Inverarary Castle

Since I’ve recently been thinking about all things Downton Abbey, I’m sharing with you about my trip to Inverarary Castle in the Scottish Highlands.

If you haven’t seen my post about Downton Abbey fashion… make sure to go here

This castle was featured in the Christmas Special from Season 3.

The fellas on the show at the fictional “Duneagle” castle.

Here are some of my pictures from June 2012. I had no idea the show had just filmed there a few weeks prior. Needless to say, I was very surprised to see it on TV!

Inverarary Castle is located in Scotland near the town of Inverarary in the county of Argyll. It sits on Loch Fyne, the longest sea loch of Scotland.

Inverarary Castle location is the red dot.

What’s that I see down there?

driving up to the castle, looking across Loch Fyne

The town of Inverarary is small and quaint. There is a woolen mill, a church, a jail, and a little hotel. We ate lunch in the hotel.

image from here

Pictures of Inveraray

clockwise upper left, the town next door, a sign to the castle, the Duke’s black sheep, a view of the Castle’s backyard, and a soldier statue that a seagull was sitting on.

Approaching the castle… It started construction in 1746. The castle was completed 43 years later. In 1877 there as a fire. It resulted in a third floor addition and conical roofs on the corner towers.

The Duke of Argyll, who is the seat of the Clan Campbell, and his family currently reside here today. The 9th Duke of Argyll married a daughter of Queen Victoria, HRH Princess Louise.

I waited a long time to get this shot with no one in it!

The photos below are from the official Inverarary Castle website. There were no photos allowed inside.

One of the things I liked about this castle was how they displayed their weapons here in the Armoury Hall. All 4 sides of the wall are covered in arms.

The dining room. If you look closely you’ll notice a ship made of gold. The chandelier is Waterford. The paintings were done by the same painter who painted for the Prince of Wales.

A bedroom with the family’s tartan I believe. Love this bed! However, this bed apparently is ghostly. A young Irish harpist was murdered in the 1600s. The bed was moved from that castle to this one. The boy’s ghost was so attached to his pretty bed that he travelled with it. When a member of the family is about to die, it is said harp music is heard coming from the room.

The beautiful drawing room! It is decorated with Parisian tapestries from the 1780s.

The estate sits on 60,000 acres. As you can imagine, just like Downton Abbey, running one of these estates is costly. The Duke of Argyll has had to market his estate. We actually met the Duke of Argyll in the basement bookstore where he was signing books. You can even rent the castle out for weddings!

A helicopter view of the property. It is a very pretty place to visit in Scotland!

For more information, visit here.

That’s all, folks!

I’ve linked up with The Scoop! Visit Confessions of a Plate Addict blog, Tablescape Thursday at ‘Between Naps on the Porch’,Wow us Wednesdays!at Savvy Southern Style, Open House Party at no minimalist here, Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage,Seasonal Sundays & Oh the places I have been at The Tablescaper, and life of the party at the grant life, and the style sisters, and Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

The Poison Garden… Enter if You Dare!

Follow:

What to Pack for Vacation in Your Carry-On

Follow:

Packing List: What to Pack to Paris

Follow:

A Downton Abbey Castle

A Downton Abbey Castle… Inverarary Castle

Follow:

From the Shop

Instagram

Pinterest