On 13/5/08 21:20, in article ,
"someone" wrote:

snip
Well, thanks for your helpful thoughts, Mike and Sacha. I'll contact the
guy in charge and try and find out what the policy is. We've had Gardens
Open in my town every four years, and other towns nearby do it as well, but
this is the first time I've done it.

someone


Ours are open, free, 50 weeks of the year. We do not allow dogs in and have
signs that say so and we also ask that parents keep their children under
control. We have a large public liability insurance but the very few small
accidents I've known to happen here (touching wood as I say this) have been
because people act stupidly or carelessly. We have only had to use that
insurance once and that was before my time here. It involved someone buying
rue who two years later developed an allergy to it. It was cheaper for the
insurance to pay her than to fight a case. We have a list of toxic plants
at the sales point and as more plants are toxic than are not, to some
degree, people would be better off giving up gardening if they're that
worried about it!
I suggest you put up a sign saying "No dogs admitted except guide dogs" and
if you have a dog that might object to people or dogs, keep it in the house
for that one short period. Signs saying "Please do not touch our plants" is
not unreasonable because, in fact, people do that all the time. Some of
ours are nearly threadbare by the end of their growing season! If people
touch yours and get hurt, that's their fault - the plants aren't going to
jump out at them, after all! I advise you to put up the signs but
experience tells me that the majority won't read them. However, you will
cover yourself to some large extent by such simple measures.


--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'