GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - Fast-growing but attractive hedge required, apply within

05-02-2003, 06:56 PM

in article , Richard at
wrote on 5/2/03 6:43 pm:

Jane etc,

Thank you for your useful comments.

I should add that whilst I may have come across as an overly concerned
parent (re. my comment about Yew) I was simply asking whether Yew should be
avoided for this reason,

I don't know a great deal (yet) about gardening but when you read (in the
one gardening book that I own!) that Yew is "highly poisonous" you do
immediately think whether it should be your first choice or last choice as a
hedge. Funnily enough I have a Yew tree in the garden already but it is very
big and the branches would take some reaching and therefore has never
concerned me.

snip
Any parent has to use a certain amount of common sense but I don't think yew
is going to pose a serious hazard to your child. If it will help you,
contact the RHS. I'm pretty sure they'll tell you that nobody has died of
poison by plants in umpteen and a half years. To be honest, the list of
non-poisonous in some way or other plants, would be a lot shorter. It's a
matter of degree and most wisely, you've sought advice on what degree. ;-)
I suppose if we all think about it, we'd be pushed to remember the last time
"death of toddler by yew berries" hit the papers.