Late this afternoon I went to the swingbin that we keep by the back door
that leads from the tea room lawn into the tea room kitchen. There are
several notices asking the public not to use those doors because trays
carrying hot drinks go in and out of those exits/entrances. The swing bin
contains bird seed with which we top up the many bird feeders in the garden
and nursery.
I opened it today and guess what I found, left by a thoughtful visitor to
our garden, which is open, free of charge, to the public. A DIRTY NAPPY.
Lucky moi. So - not only did I have the dubious honour of disposing of the
nappy correctly, the remaining seed in the bin has been thrown away.
Thankfully, it was very low. I cannot, surely, be the only person who
despairs of the behaviour of other people? Some of our children have
babies; they all carry a breakdown kit which includes new nappies and bags
for dirty nappies. Neither they nor I would *ever* have invaded someone's
house to throw away dirty nappies. As you may see, I'm truly appalled.
People are most definitely more rude and less considerate or respectful than
they were even ten years ago. I'd like to know where our perps live
because this weekend we've had 3 children in this house, all wearing
nappies. I could have given the wrongdoers a compost heap they'd never
forget if I knew their address!

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

Sacha writes
Late this afternoon I went to the swingbin that we keep by the back door
that leads from the tea room lawn into the tea room kitchen. There are
several notices asking the public not to use those doors because trays
carrying hot drinks go in and out of those exits/entrances. The swing bin
contains bird seed with which we top up the many bird feeders in the garden
and nursery.
I opened it today and guess what I found, left by a thoughtful visitor to
our garden, which is open, free of charge, to the public. A DIRTY NAPPY.
Lucky moi. So - not only did I have the dubious honour of disposing of the
nappy correctly, the remaining seed in the bin has been thrown away.
Thankfully, it was very low. I cannot, surely, be the only person who
despairs of the behaviour of other people? Some of our children have
babies; they all carry a breakdown kit which includes new nappies and bags
for dirty nappies. Neither they nor I would *ever* have invaded someone's
house to throw away dirty nappies. As you may see, I'm truly appalled.
People are most definitely more rude and less considerate or respectful than
they were even ten years ago. I'd like to know where our perps live
because this weekend we've had 3 children in this house, all wearing
nappies. I could have given the wrongdoers a compost heap they'd never
forget if I knew their address!

Very annoying and unpleasant for you. As self-protection in the future,
you could add a notice to the swing bin saying 'bird feed' - the
perpetrator probably genuinely believed it was a rubbish bin. We have a
black wheelie bin salvaged from a pond which we use as a temporary
compost bin when it's too miserable to take the compost to the bin at
the end of the garden, and occasionally visitors add a plastic bottle or
similar, which is quite understandable, though irritating.
--
Kay

On 6/8/08 10:10, in article , "K"
wrote:

Sacha writes
Late this afternoon I went to the swingbin that we keep by the back door
that leads from the tea room lawn into the tea room kitchen. There are
several notices asking the public not to use those doors because trays
carrying hot drinks go in and out of those exits/entrances. The swing bin
contains bird seed with which we top up the many bird feeders in the garden
and nursery.
I opened it today and guess what I found, left by a thoughtful visitor to
our garden, which is open, free of charge, to the public. A DIRTY NAPPY.
Lucky moi. So - not only did I have the dubious honour of disposing of the
nappy correctly, the remaining seed in the bin has been thrown away.
Thankfully, it was very low. I cannot, surely, be the only person who
despairs of the behaviour of other people? Some of our children have
babies; they all carry a breakdown kit which includes new nappies and bags
for dirty nappies. Neither they nor I would *ever* have invaded someone's
house to throw away dirty nappies. As you may see, I'm truly appalled.
People are most definitely more rude and less considerate or respectful than
they were even ten years ago. I'd like to know where our perps live
because this weekend we've had 3 children in this house, all wearing
nappies. I could have given the wrongdoers a compost heap they'd never
forget if I knew their address!

Very annoying and unpleasant for you. As self-protection in the future,
you could add a notice to the swing bin saying 'bird feed' - the
perpetrator probably genuinely believed it was a rubbish bin. We have a
black wheelie bin salvaged from a pond which we use as a temporary
compost bin when it's too miserable to take the compost to the bin at
the end of the garden, and occasionally visitors add a plastic bottle or
similar, which is quite understandable, though irritating.

It has a label saying 'bird feed' on its lid and it has no bin liner!! And
there is a sign right by the door saying Private in large lettering, there
is another private sign *on* the door, another on the door to the right of
that and there are notices on the wall and tea room kitchen door asking
people not to go that way. IOW, the person who did this just couldn't be
bothered to take their dirt home with them but left it there, knowing that
one of us would have to deal with it. Even if it had actually been a
rubbish bin, it would have still been our task to deal with their child's
excrement and it wouldn't have been a bin in a public area. Given all the
gadgetry that seems to be an adjunct to parenthood these days, I would have
thought they'd have managed to bring a plastic bag with them! On the whole,
we're very lucky with our customers, the vast majority of whom appreciate
being able to come here and enjoy the tea room and the garden. It's when
you get the odd one or two like this one, or the one who protested when Ray
took a cane away from her child who was trying to poke the fish with it
and/or hit our dog, that we wonder if the world has gone mad or if it's we
who have done so!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

Sacha wrote:
On 6/8/08 10:10, in article , "K"
wrote:

Sacha writes
Late this afternoon I went to the swingbin that we keep by the back door
that leads from the tea room lawn into the tea room kitchen. There are
several notices asking the public not to use those doors because trays
carrying hot drinks go in and out of those exits/entrances. The swing bin
contains bird seed with which we top up the many bird feeders in the garden
and nursery.
I opened it today and guess what I found, left by a thoughtful visitor to
our garden, which is open, free of charge, to the public. A DIRTY NAPPY.
Lucky moi. So - not only did I have the dubious honour of disposing of the
nappy correctly, the remaining seed in the bin has been thrown away.
Thankfully, it was very low. I cannot, surely, be the only person who
despairs of the behaviour of other people? Some of our children have
babies; they all carry a breakdown kit which includes new nappies and bags
for dirty nappies. Neither they nor I would *ever* have invaded someone's
house to throw away dirty nappies. As you may see, I'm truly appalled.
People are most definitely more rude and less considerate or respectful than
they were even ten years ago. I'd like to know where our perps live
because this weekend we've had 3 children in this house, all wearing
nappies. I could have given the wrongdoers a compost heap they'd never
forget if I knew their address!

Very annoying and unpleasant for you. As self-protection in the future,
you could add a notice to the swing bin saying 'bird feed' - the
perpetrator probably genuinely believed it was a rubbish bin. We have a
black wheelie bin salvaged from a pond which we use as a temporary
compost bin when it's too miserable to take the compost to the bin at
the end of the garden, and occasionally visitors add a plastic bottle or
similar, which is quite understandable, though irritating.

It has a label saying 'bird feed' on its lid and it has no bin liner!! And
there is a sign right by the door saying Private in large lettering, there
is another private sign *on* the door, another on the door to the right of
that and there are notices on the wall and tea room kitchen door asking
people not to go that way. IOW, the person who did this just couldn't be
bothered to take their dirt home with them but left it there, knowing that
one of us would have to deal with it. Even if it had actually been a
rubbish bin, it would have still been our task to deal with their child's
excrement and it wouldn't have been a bin in a public area. Given all the
gadgetry that seems to be an adjunct to parenthood these days, I would have
thought they'd have managed to bring a plastic bag with them! On the whole,
we're very lucky with our customers, the vast majority of whom appreciate
being able to come here and enjoy the tea room and the garden. It's when
you get the odd one or two like this one, or the one who protested when Ray
took a cane away from her child who was trying to poke the fish with it
and/or hit our dog, that we wonder if the world has gone mad or if it's we
who have done so!

I think you need to cater for the whole family these days because they
shop as a unit. Tea rooms, toilets, and even nappy changing facilities
are essential services. As an old geyser I have left many such
establishments prematurely because there were no toilet facilities :-)

On 6/8/08 11:39, in article , "stuart
noble" wrote:

snip
I think you need to cater for the whole family these days because they
shop as a unit. Tea rooms, toilets, and even nappy changing facilities
are essential services. As an old geyser I have left many such
establishments prematurely because there were no toilet facilities :-)


We have 3 loos in the Nursery and tea room area but we don't have baby
changing facilities, though when asked I've allowed people to use our
kitchen. We do have a high chair in the tea room but actual changing
facilities would mean a completely newly built loo and that will cost quite
a lot as it will be for disabled use, too. Eventually, that is part of a
longer term project, though. However, most of our customers are middle-aged
to elderly and don't really need all the clobber that goes with babies. My
daughter and daughter in law have small portable changing mats that go in
their 'yummu mummy' bags, along with spare nappies, wipes and dirty nappy
bags.
This is very much a Nursery with a tea room, not a garden centre with a
shopping and play area, so it's not a 'family day out' in that sense, though
people often do spend the day here and even fall asleep! We have noticed,
however, that we get a lot more young families coming in now than we used
to. I don't know if that's because gardening programmes appeal to them or
whether it's because they can enjoy the garden for free and get tea as well,
and they'd want refreshments wherever they went, I should think. Children
love the garden because it's about 3 acres with lots of paths they can play
hide and seek through and 'get lost' in but quite safely once they're past
the toddler stage. Often, I've distracted a fractious child by taking it
and a parent to feed the fish - they love watching them surge to the surface
in a feeding frenzy! And on several occasions I've supplied towels to
soaked toddlers who've been picking up the pebbles from the granite water
trough and hurling them back in, or putting their fingers in the water spout
and squirting water all over themselves!

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

This is very much a Nursery with a tea room, not a garden centre with a
shopping and play area

You mean it's a plant nursery rather than a nursery :-)

, so it's not a 'family day out' in that sense

Maybe it could be. Parents are pretty desperate to tick off another day
in the holidays, even if you don't have bouncy castles and roundabouts.

We have noticed,
however, that we get a lot more young families coming in now than we used
to. I don't know if that's because gardening programmes appeal to them or
whether it's because they can enjoy the garden for free and get tea as well,
and they'd want refreshments wherever they went, I should think. Children
love the garden because it's about 3 acres with lots of paths they can play
hide and seek through and 'get lost' in but quite safely once they're past
the toddler stage. Often, I've distracted a fractious child by taking it
and a parent to feed the fish - they love watching them surge to the surface
in a feeding frenzy! And on several occasions I've supplied towels to
soaked toddlers who've been picking up the pebbles from the granite water
trough and hurling them back in, or putting their fingers in the water spout
and squirting water all over themselves!


Sounds nice

On 6/8/08 12:11, in article , "stuart
noble" wrote:


This is very much a Nursery with a tea room, not a garden centre with a
shopping and play area

You mean it's a plant nursery rather than a nursery :-)

You've got it!

, so it's not a 'family day out' in that sense

Maybe it could be. Parents are pretty desperate to tick off another day
in the holidays, even if you don't have bouncy castles and roundabouts.

Well, they can let off a bit of steam here but young children get bored
plant shopping.

We have noticed,
however, that we get a lot more young families coming in now than we used
to. I don't know if that's because gardening programmes appeal to them or
whether it's because they can enjoy the garden for free and get tea as well,
and they'd want refreshments wherever they went, I should think. Children
love the garden because it's about 3 acres with lots of paths they can play
hide and seek through and 'get lost' in but quite safely once they're past
the toddler stage. Often, I've distracted a fractious child by taking it
and a parent to feed the fish - they love watching them surge to the surface
in a feeding frenzy! And on several occasions I've supplied towels to
soaked toddlers who've been picking up the pebbles from the granite water
trough and hurling them back in, or putting their fingers in the water spout
and squirting water all over themselves!


Sounds nice

We like it. ;-))


--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:26:39 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

Late this afternoon I went to the swingbin that we keep by the back door
that leads from the tea room lawn into the tea room kitchen. There are
several notices asking the public not to use those doors because trays
carrying hot drinks go in and out of those exits/entrances. The swing bin
contains bird seed with which we top up the many bird feeders in the garden
and nursery.
I opened it today and guess what I found, left by a thoughtful visitor to
our garden, which is open, free of charge, to the public. A DIRTY NAPPY.
Lucky moi. So - not only did I have the dubious honour of disposing of the
nappy correctly, the remaining seed in the bin has been thrown away.
Thankfully, it was very low. I cannot, surely, be the only person who
despairs of the behaviour of other people? Some of our children have
babies; they all carry a breakdown kit which includes new nappies and bags
for dirty nappies. Neither they nor I would *ever* have invaded someone's
house to throw away dirty nappies. As you may see, I'm truly appalled.
People are most definitely more rude and less considerate or respectful than
they were even ten years ago. I'd like to know where our perps live
because this weekend we've had 3 children in this house, all wearing
nappies. I could have given the wrongdoers a compost heap they'd never
forget if I knew their address!

And had you seen them do it, and spoken up, you would probably have
had a mouthful of abuse!

Pam in Bristol

Sacha writes
We have noticed, however, that we get a lot more young families coming
in now than we used to.

Big increase in vegetable gardening over the last year or so, and that
seems to be particularly amongst the young. Maybe that's bringing them
in to ornamental gardening too.
--
Kay

On 6/8/08 13:16, in article , "Pam
Moore" wrote:

On Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:26:39 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

Late this afternoon I went to the swingbin that we keep by the back door
that leads from the tea room lawn into the tea room kitchen. There are
several notices asking the public not to use those doors because trays
carrying hot drinks go in and out of those exits/entrances. The swing bin
contains bird seed with which we top up the many bird feeders in the garden
and nursery.
I opened it today and guess what I found, left by a thoughtful visitor to
our garden, which is open, free of charge, to the public. A DIRTY NAPPY.
Lucky moi. So - not only did I have the dubious honour of disposing of the
nappy correctly, the remaining seed in the bin has been thrown away.
Thankfully, it was very low. I cannot, surely, be the only person who
despairs of the behaviour of other people? Some of our children have
babies; they all carry a breakdown kit which includes new nappies and bags
for dirty nappies. Neither they nor I would *ever* have invaded someone's
house to throw away dirty nappies. As you may see, I'm truly appalled.
People are most definitely more rude and less considerate or respectful than
they were even ten years ago. I'd like to know where our perps live
because this weekend we've had 3 children in this house, all wearing
nappies. I could have given the wrongdoers a compost heap they'd never
forget if I knew their address!

And had you seen them do it, and spoken up, you would probably have
had a mouthful of abuse!

Pam in Bristol

There's always that danger, it seems, though luckily, I must say that most
of our customers/visitors are really nice people. There's always the one
rotten apple, though, isn't there?

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 6/8/08 14:12, in article , "K"
wrote:

Sacha writes
We have noticed, however, that we get a lot more young families coming
in now than we used to.

Big increase in vegetable gardening over the last year or so, and that
seems to be particularly amongst the young. Maybe that's bringing them
in to ornamental gardening too.

Could very well be that, Kay. It's good to see, IMO. We do sell tomato,
squash and some other veg plants, as well as herbs, so that probably does
come into it.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 6/8/08 13:18, in article , "M"
wrote:

Following up to Sacha

Well, they can let off a bit of steam here but young children get bored
plant shopping.

well, do *you* feel any better after letting of some steam about it? :-)

MUCH better! ;-)

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 6/8/08 14:44, in article , "M"
wrote:

Following up to Sacha

I must say that most
of our customers/visitors are really nice people. There's always the one
rotten apple, though, isn't there?

wait till we move to the west country....:-)

My breath is bated..... ;-))

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

In a certain garden centre recently, I watched incredulously as a
young child went along the benches, picking up Begonias and plonking
them back, upside down with some force, ruining and crushing the
plants. The father looked on idly and the mother was only concerned
that her little brat might get dirty hands. No remonstration, no
concern about the fact the the plants were rendered unsaleable. I
could barely contain myself and bellowed "Don't do that!" causing the
child to jump and then start wimpering. The mother was about to
respond, but stopped as I barked that she was nurturing a future moron
and vandal. They hurried away with the father muttering " huh -
they're only plants for ***** sake..." That's the great British
public for you nowadays.

On 7/8/08 04:17, in article
, "Dave
Poole" wrote:

In a certain garden centre recently, I watched incredulously as a
young child went along the benches, picking up Begonias and plonking
them back, upside down with some force, ruining and crushing the
plants. The father looked on idly and the mother was only concerned
that her little brat might get dirty hands. No remonstration, no
concern about the fact the the plants were rendered unsaleable. I
could barely contain myself and bellowed "Don't do that!" causing the
child to jump and then start wimpering. The mother was about to
respond, but stopped as I barked that she was nurturing a future moron
and vandal. They hurried away with the father muttering " huh -
they're only plants for ***** sake..." That's the great British
public for you nowadays.

And then there was the nutcase who let his golden retriever swim in the fish
pond..........!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon