A question Re: Delphiniums

[bubbaloo]

I have had very tall purple Delphiniums in my garden for about the last 10 years.They flower quite late(Sept/Oct)and basically take up alot of room in my very small garden.Every year after they've flowered I pull them out(they're like sticks with bulbs on the end),give them to friends and family,and fork over the earth,making sure I've got rid of them but they always come back.
Anyway...a gave some to a friend last year who has just told me hers are flowering and she doesn't think they are Delphiniums,but Monkshood which apparently is one of the most toxic plants you can have.
I have googled a picture and it does look really similar,but just wondered if any experts out there could tell me the difference between the two,please? I really thought they were Delphiniums but now I'm not sure.It does say that all parts of Monkshood are extremely poisonous and to wear gloves but I have never worn gloves when handling it and have 2 cats that sit amongst it.Ds is also getting to that age of exploring the garden and there's another Dc on the way!
Any advice would be much appreciated please.
TIA

Dh (in the flower business) says the florists don't wear gloves when handling it but it is well know to be poisonous.He would only caution against eating it ,so if your child is likely to explore and eat,it's best to get rid of ,or supervise.I suppose you could teach them to not touch it.It's so lovely,a shame to get rid of it.

Thanks ggirl but I think I'll have to get rid of it just incase it is Monkshood and not a delphinium.Ds isn't in the habit of eating plants yet,but it's a possibilty and if it's highly toxic,then I can't chance it.

Poor plant. Poisonous plants crop up on Gardening Club regularly and people get far too concerned about them. A neighbour was admiring my foxgloves and I offered her some seeds but when I said they were poisonous she didn't want them. Yet she's got snowberry, laburnum and various other things there. When I was growing up we had the most magnificent laburnum in our garden but we were told not to eat it (or anything else from the garden unless it was grown for food), so we didn't. Not that we were particularly law-abiding but a vivid description of sore stomachs and horrible vomiting did the trick.

Merlotmama-it does seem a shame to get rid of it but Monkshood(if that's what it is) is very dangerous and it can be fatal if eaten.If it was just an upset tummy I would keep it,but someting that has the potential to kill has got to go-I can't take any chances.