Wednesday 19 August 2009

Rain, rain and more rain ..............

When I wrote on 25 July that our weather had been rather good this Summer, I think I may have spoken too soon. Since August started it seems to have become wetter and wetter to the point where we have now reverted to swamp conditions - very dismal and not a little depressing. Despite this I've still had an odd visitor culminating in a family who came today and seemed to have a wonderful time despite teeming rain and the knowledge that it was the hottest day of the year at home in England! I believe we've had over 15 inches of rain already this month. Some people would be very glad of it but one can have too much of even a good thing ......... at least it does keep everything green!

Sunday 16 August 2009

Entry again

Entry conditions




I've found two or three groups this month wandering around the garden without having let me know they are here and without realising they are expected to pay for admission. The SGS sign at the gate is a little deceptive in that it says "gardens open for charity": some visitors think they are the charity! I've put the small SGS sign up as well but this prioritises opening times and says "Admission £3" only in very small letters. Indeed, one visitor whose family had spent an hour here refused to pay on the basis that the sign was so small!








My husband has helped me by producing a large sign saying "ENTRY £3" which I now have in the 'Millenium Ruin' where I keep the Visitor's Book and Garden Guides and where visitors can sit and read or shelter from rain.

Entry conditions

I've had an odd visitor who I've encountered wandering around the garden without my knowing they were here. The SGS sign mentions an entry fee only in tiny letters and some people think "open for charity" implies they are the charity so my husband has helped me by making a sign that clearly says "ENTRY £3" and I've put this in the 'Millenium Ruin', where I keep my Visitor's Book, garden guides and where visitors can sit and read or shelter from the rain or even eat their picnics, if they wish. He's also made me two small hand-outs that explain why I charge and where any money collected goes. Here they are: