From the front door of the glass-walled gift shop at the Alnwick Garden in the far northeast of England, the scene looks innocent enough. ... Alnwick Castle, in northeast England.

From the front door of the glass-walled gift shop at the Alnwick Garden in the far northeast of England, the scene looks innocent enough. A sapphire green English lawn slopes gently downward ...

Alnwick Castle’s Poison Garden beautiful, but dangerous. Diane Roberts “Don’t touch,” says Bridget the guide, as we prepare to enter the locked gates of the Poison Garden.

Visitors are encouraged to touch, smell and even nibble a berry or two as they stroll through Alnwick Castle's 26 acres of shrubs, trees and flowers -- until they reach the Poison Garden. Here ...

Nevertheless it's clear that many of the families who visit the castle do so because of the Potter factor. Children get the chance to dress up in period costumes and run about with rubber swords.