When someone says, ‘ [Currently popular ‘natural’ substance] is better than [rigorously tested medical treatment] because it’s from nature!’ I think, ‘Yeah, well, so’s anthrax. Nature wants to kill your arse.’

Now I’m going to let Hank Green teach you a little something. Take it, Hank.

Nature!

If you’re interested in plants that hate you, you may want to visit Alnwick Garden in Northumberland, which houses nearly 100 poisonous plants . It’s home to the first image of this post. I want to go there.

And one of my favourite quotes from The Secret History by Donna Tartt:

‘And even herbs that aren’t common here—good God, the Borgias would have wept to see the health-food store I found in Brattleboro last week. Hellebore, mandrake, pure oil of wormwood… I suppose people will buy anything if they think it’s natural. The wormwood they were selling as organic insect repellent, as if that made it safer than the stuff at the supermarket. One bottle could have killed an army.’