Poisonous plants used by some of Agatha Christie's most notorious villains have come together in a new garden at Torre Abbey in Torquay, Devon, where the crime writer spent much of her life, H&C has learned.

Head gardener Ali Marshall read more than 80 of Agatha Christie's novels and short stories to put together the garden. Among the plants she chose are Prunus cultivars, such as dwarf peaches and nectarines, whose fruit stones produce cyanide – the murder weapon in several novels including, of course, Sparkling Cyanide. Deadly nightshade, used by the murderer in The Caribbean Mystery is grown alongside aconite, responsible for poisoning several characters in 4.50 from Paddington.

"While this might sound extremely dangerous for staff and public alike we have been very careful in our choice of plants, substituting less potent garden cultivars where possible," says Ali. "This is a garden designed to entertain – not provide murderous opportunities!"

Poison was the weapon of choice in more than half of Agatha Christie's novels, and it was usually derived from plants. The author was a qualified pharmacist and worked in the Red Cross hospital in Torquay during the war, learning how to use dozens of different chemicals, both benign and toxic. Among the plant-derived compounds then used as medicines which later turned up with more sinister effect in her books were arsenic, strychnine, digitalis and morphine.

In addition to the central display, Ali has also concocted a horticultural whodunnit for visitors to solve. In the beds surrounding the poison garden she has planted a series of clues to the titles of four of Agatha Christie's short stories - a puzzle which, she says, has tested even the most avid of Christie's fans.

Torre Abbey gardens are open daily from 10am-6pm in summer and 10am-5pm in winter. Entry is free.