An award winning public garden in Saundersfoot designed to stimulate the ‘senses of smell and touch’ - is considering a dog ban from the area, in light of irresponsible owners letting their pets make a mess on the grass, without picking up.
Saundersfoot Sensory Garden situated in the heart of the village, has been praised in recent years for its floral displays and as a tranquil place to have a sit down - with the ethos originally to develop a - ‘place for people with impaired vision and for everyone else who enjoys plants which stimulate the senses of smell and touch’.
Saundersfoot recently picked up a ‘Gold award’ in the Large Village category in the 2023 Wales in Bloom competition, after a great community effort from all involved.
However, chair of Saundersfoot Community Council, Cllr Martyn Williams who is in the Sensory Garden most days tending to the area, with a handyman from the Grounds Management Working Party said that unfortunately, a few irresponsible dog owners caused him to act on the matter with immediate effect, and put up a sign stating ‘No dogs except assistance dogs’ this week.
“We’d decided to put up a ‘no dog fouling’ sign initially, to see how that would work, whilst the Community Council was considering a full ban,” he remarked.
“We tried it this way, but the handyman who cuts the grass, has regularly in recent weeks found dog mess in the grass, as people are not picking up, despite the signs.
“Occasionally he doesn’t see it and the mower is plastered. He often sees dogs make a mess and then a family come along to have a picnic.
“It’s not nice for families who come to the garden to enjoy a picnic, to find dogs have been left by owners to use the area as a toilet, without picking up after them.
“The overwhelming amount of people with dogs are fantastic, but its a few that spoil it for others. We tried to educate people and to inform them of our concerns, but people were still bringing their dogs into the garden to go to the toilet and in one hour recently, six dogs went on the grass to poo!
“I apologise if I have jumped the gun a little with this approach on introducing signage pointing to a full ban on dogs, and there maybe a bit of a backlash,” added Cllr Williams.
With the signage now removed, the matter will now be discussed further at the next meeting of the Community Council on Thursday, October 5.
There are also signs up in the surroundings stating ‘This is a Non-Smoking Garden - Smile, You’re on CCTV.’
The move had attracted both negative and positive comments on the Saundersfoot Connect Facebook page, with one person posting: “So disappointed this morning to see dogs are no longer allowed in Sensory Garden -after two hours on beach this morning with my little dog I got my takeaway coffee (and my dog’s treat!) and headed to sit in the beautiful garden - but no, couldn’t go in! Such a shame it was only a few weeks ago I was down and did exactly what I’d hoped for today - beautiful place to sit be going in there for so so many years.”
Another disappointed dog owner wrote: “This is awful I walked through there most mornings with Luna to work. But you have probably had that one person that has spoilt it for everyone else not picking up after them selves. Such a shame.”
The Community Council issued the following statement today (September 29): “Saundersfoot Community Council have recently been considering the banning of dogs from the sensory gardens.
“A notice was circulated stating it was under consideration with the hope of informing the public to improve the situation before having to resort to a ban.
“In the interim, due to a breakdown in communication, a sign was incorrectly erected. “The matter will be discussed at the next meeting on Thursday, October 5 which is open to the public if anyone wishes to attend and make representations on the issue of banning dogs from the garden.”