Unless you planned your garden for children and pets at the onset, chances are your serene plot in this world could be a ticking time bomb. And this time we’re not talking about chemicals, pesticides or synthetic toxins.
It’s our plants that are the problem.
While we chose them for their flowers, foliage or growing habit few gardeners would think twice about the toxicity levels of our most poisonous plants. And it seems that until some dire crisis happens in our gardens we’re completely ignorant toward the plant and the effects they may have on our loved ones.
After reading Tony Spencer’s post on how his dog spent 2 days on IV after consuming parts of a sago palm it became apparent that serious questions needed to be asked.
Questions like: Should poisonous plants be banned from our nurseries and garden centres?
The problem with affirmatively answering that debate is that it would leave us gardeners with very limited plant choices. There would be no azaleas, wisteria, daffodils, cyclamens, hydrangeas and the list could go on. And it does – here.
In fact, most of our plants are toxic or poisonous to our pets and children. The risk averse gardener would say that we should just keep the two separated. If you have children and/or pets then don’t have a garden. But realistically, is this the preferred result? Do we want our children growing up without plants and flowers and a gardening environment to enjoy?
The nay-sayers and head shakers would also love to regulate this Pandora’s box by seeing warning labels available to the consumer. While this could be a huge problem for plant suppliers it might not be such a bad idea.
Chemical companies are forced to disclose the ingredients in their products with User Beware warnings, so why shouldn’t plant growers? Maybe we could see a toxicity rating for each of these poisonous plants and what effects they may have on pets and humans.
At the very least they should carry the hotline number of the Poisons Information Centre. Shouldn’t they?
Or, should the onus be on the gardener to understand whether the plant they’re buying is going to be harmful to their loved ones?
Just how far do we go though. Do we get the government to over regulate us like they do in other parts of our lives?….
Do we have to then label the solenacea family because they include poisons in parts of the plants, you know the deadly nightshades, tomatoes, potatoes, chillies…….
Just where do we need the government to go to legislatively and where do we as people draw our own ‘Duty of Care’….