My not-so-secret garden

We had friends over last Saturday, and we were eating out on the deck, when my friend pointed to this beautiful purple flower that was growing next to the deck stairs.  She said she was pretty sure that it is a poisonous plant.  I pulled it out by the roots and threw it away, then googled it the next day.  This is what I found:

Belladonna is one of the most toxic plants found in the Western hemisphere. All parts of the plant contain tropane alkaloids.[10] The berries pose the greatest danger to children because they look attractive and have a somewhat sweet taste.[9] The consumption of two to five berries by children and ten to twenty berries by adults can be lethal. The root of the plant is generally the most toxic part, though this can vary from one specimen to another. Ingestion of a single leaf of the plant can be fatal to an adult.[10]

The active agents in Belladonna, atropine, hyoscine (scopolamine), and hyoscyamine, have anticholinergic properties. The symptoms of belladonna poisoning include dilated pupils, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, tachycardia, loss of balance, staggering, headache, rash, flushing, dry mouth and throat, slurred speech, urinary retention, constipation, confusion, hallucinations, delirium, and convulsions.[11][12] The plant's deadly symptoms are caused by atropine's disruption of the parasympathetic nervous system's ability to regulate non-volitional/subconscious activities such as sweating, breathing, and heart rate. The antidote for belladonna poisoning is physostigmine or pilocarpine, the same as for atropine.[13] Atropa belladonna is also toxic to many domestic animals, causing narcosis and paralysis.

Thank God Mary told me it was poisonous, because I thought it was just a really pretty plant (weed).  I have a black thumb, and cannot grow anything (except children!).  I don't really know the difference between plants and weeds, and were it up to me, the only flowers I'd have would be dandelions!   The previous owner of this home did some nice landscaping, and the mums are starting to bloom.  Not sure any of her hard work will survive my lack of skills in the garden.  Anyhow, after reading about this plant, Jake asked if I thought our dog may have eaten part of it which caused her death.  I really don't think so.  But, it was easily in reach of any of my kids, and I am so thankful they didn't try to eat the berries.  And to think I was worried about the holly bushes.  Come to find out, I may not have to worry after all.  With any luck, all of our holly bushes will turn out to be males:

Holly Plant Male and Female Differences

Male and female holly flowers grow on different plants. Although some plants may be tagged with their particular sex, this is rarely the case. Therefore, it is oftentimes up to you to determine the difference. This is not an easy task.(kind of like trying to determine the sex of a cat, or a turtle, or a goldfish, or a lizard)  It is nearly impossible to distinguish the male and female holly bush prior to blooming. (puberty?)

Generally, all females produce berries. Males do not. (sound familiar?) If you find a plant with berries, it’s usually safe to say that it is female. The best way to determine the sex of holly plants is by examining the flowers, which are located between the leaf and branch joint. Although the small clusters of creamy white flowers are similar in appearance, males have more prominent stamens than females.  (I'm sure they do....)

Who knew plants had gender?  You learn something new every day.