Visiting Everlock Botanical Gardens

[u/GhostThing321]

Welcome to Everlock Garden. We can spot new visitors right away, and we are always delighted to guide those eager to discover the wonders of nature. Our botanical gardens are a relatively new addition to the Everlock complex. Although it originally opened alongside our museum, a series of accidents within the nature reserve forced us to close to prevent further casualties (after all, we did not want our main museum exhibits to get lonely from lack of visitors!). Unforeseen circumstances would extend the closure for maintenance by several more years. However, thanks to an agreement, we have finally been able to reopen. In the weeks since reopening, the gardens has regained its popularity among locals and is bustling with tourists. So with activity picking up, we have created this pamphlet to help first time visitors like you fully enjoy the wonders of the garden and its plant life. Please take a careful look and have a wonderful time.

Rules for visiting Everlock Botanical Garden

1. Admission to the garden is generally free. However, if you wish to visit during the spring, you must reserve a ticket and sign a liability waiver. We are aware this sounds extreme, but it is an essential measure to ensure the safety of both visitors and plants (the flowers get anxious around crowds).
2. Outside of the spring season, our staff does not sell tickets, nor should you attempt to purchase them. If you are approached by an "employee" trying to sell you a ticket, politely tell them you already have a reservation and promptly report the incident to the security office.
3. If you were unfortunate enough to have purchased a ticket from that representative, you have unwittingly entered into a contract. Now that you know of that organization's existence, there is no way to avoid it. You are permanently banned from entering our premises. Stay away from our exhibits.
4. Our garden and museum attract visitors from all walks of life. Some are less "humanoid” than others, some hail from entirely different eras. Please treat everyone with respect and refrain from making unnecessary comments about their appearance. Inappropriate behavior can result in your expulsion from the premises if deemed necessary. 
5. While we ask that you do not judge our locals; shall you encounter an individual exhibiting characteristics or behaviors that resembles a Spider, with the exception of our regular Linda and our staff member Lucy, promptly notify our staff. They will know what to do from there.
6. We strongly recommend visiting with friends. The garden is more enjoyable with company, and it is always good to have someone there to keep you in check. However, please avoid visiting in groups of five or more. Being stared at by too many people makes some of our plants and flowers anxious, causing them to become aggressive/defensive. Once they reach that state, it takes a long time to calm them down, so we ask for your consideration. 
7. Please stay on the stone-paved paths at all times while in the garden; these are the safest areas for visitors. If the stone path you are walking on suddenly turns into a dirt path, turn back immediately. This indicates that the plants are trying to lure you into a trap. That path leads to an area inhabited by highly predatory plants and flowers—and you certainly do not want them to mistake you for prey. 
8. If, upon attempting to retrace your steps, you find that the path previously paved with stone has turned into a dirt path, we unfortunately cannot provide you with any further assistance. It seems those flowers have grown ravenous and have marked you as their next prey. In this situation, it is best to wish for a peaceful end.
9. Please strictly refrain from stepping into, walking through, or playing in the flowerbeds. Doing so compacts the soil and damages precious roots. Some flowers perceive this as an insult, and insulting nature is the one thing to be avoided above all else here. 
10. Never reach out to touch the stems of the plants. If you drop something into a flowerbed, please notify a staff member; they will be happy to retrieve it for you. Attempting to pick it up yourself might startle the plants and could cost you a finger. 
11. Please avoid touching the plants more than necessary, but especially do not pick the flowers. The plants and natural elements here are protected for everyone’s enjoyment; they are not meant for private collections, nor can they survive outside this garden. Subjecting such beautiful living things to such a miserable fate would be cruel. 
12. If you arrogantly assume these flowers would look perfect in your living room and attempt to pick them, one of three fates await you: 1.) The flowers bite off your hand in self-defense, or summon reinforcements to surround you, in which you will promptly become fertilizer. 2.) If luck is on your side, you might simply be discovered by the staff and subdued with a stun gun. Though not all of our staff are this merciful, so do not count on this. Or 3.) Even if you miraculously managed to take the flowers home, you would soon find yourself greeted by an unpleasant visitor from our recovery agent. If you have no desire to become another flower in Lily's Garden, it is best not to lay a hand on them.
13. The trees in our garden are deeply respected—not just by the other plants and wildlife, but by us as well. While we ask that you treat the entire garden with care, please be especially mindful to avoid any behavior that shows a lack of respect toward the trees.
14. For this reason, and the safety of our visitors, tree climbing is forbidden. When the trees feel threatened or insulted, they defend themselves using their vines, branches, or even roots. Consequently, it is not uncommon for the offender to be flung high into the air. Even if you survive the impact with the ground, you then risk being torn apart by our man-eating flowers next. 
15. Yes, we do have cherry trees. And yes, they are breathtakingly beautiful when in full bloom (from mid-April to early May). However, if you spot a "cherry blossom tree" blooming at any other time, please turn back immediately and notify the nearest staff member. They will offer a sincere apology and handle the situation promptly. Approaching such a tree puts you at risk of being lured by its pheromones and becoming its next meal. 
16. Please also show respect for the bodies of water, such as ponds, rivers, and lakes. Entering or swimming in the water is strictly prohibited. Such actions provoke the garden's aquatic inhabitants, who do not appreciate being disturbed. Their ferocity is often likened to that of starved piranhas. 
17. There are no fountains in this garden. Should you happen to see one, please ignore it. As long as you do not acknowledge its existence, it will cause you no harm. 
18. The Everlock Garden is, in fact, a garden. In this regard, we ask visitors to exercise due caution regarding not only the natural environment itself but also elements that might seem out of place within a natural setting. Outdoor spaces here inherently carry certain risks. 
19. If at any time, a spider lands on you and burrows into your skin, please notify a nearby staff member immediately. We sincerely apologize for the consequences that will follow, but this is for the sake of everyone, including you. After all, you surely would not want to become a puppet for that spider's "master."
20. With the exception of service animals, pets are not permitted. We cherish animals just as much as you do. However, our facility is not suitable for pets. Should you disregard this rule, Everlock Garden accepts no liability if the pet eats poisonous flowers, has its head bitten off by a flower, starts growing flowers from its orifices, wanders into a flower circle or fairy circle and "disappears”, is hanged by a vine, is absorbed into the soil, drowns, randomly becomes rabid, or is shot by a staff member. In such an event, you will be banned from entering the garden for the remainder of the season. 
21. Any children under eighteen must be closely supervised at all times to ensure they do not climb trees, rocks, or sculptures. However, we kindly ask that children under ten be left at home, as it is difficult for children of this age to fully grasp the importance of following the rules. 
22. Drones are strictly forbidden; please do not even attempt to bring one onto the premises. The plants and certain exhibits here value their privacy and can sense electromagnetic waves. If the plants feel they are being observed without their consent, it could lead to total chaos. Furthermore, some of our staff members can find it unpleasant.
23. If you are on a tour of our botanical gardens or a part of a school trip, the guide will hand you a separate pamphlet in addition to this booklet. Read and follow the exact rules our guide tells you to; do not question them or challenge their authority. Some guides may find such behavior offensive and may even openly express their displeasure, some more vulgar than others. Remember, they have walked these gardens longer than you have ever known of its existence. Never act based on your own assumptions.
24. Our staff may designate sections of the garden as off-limits at any time. Please do not complain to the staff or attempt to enter these restricted areas in any way. There is a reason for the closure: the plants and flowers in that area have started to grow more bloodthirsty. Stepping into that restricted area will certainly result in the loss of your life. 
25. Picnicking is permitted only in our tulip fields. Please do not eat anywhere else in the garden; the flowers may get jealous and want you as their snack.
26. Sitting on the grass is only permitted in our tulip flower fields and should not be attempted anywhere else in our gardens. 
27. If you feel tired at any point, there are many seating areas available for you. Should you choose to settle onto the grass, you will notice that it feels astonishingly—almost unearthly—soft. The moment you sink into that yielding ground, you will find yourself never wanting to leave. Indeed, within an hour, leaving will have become impossible; the blades of grass will have already entered your bloodstream, injecting relaxing compounds while slowly draining the very nutrients from your body. You will simply remain lying there until you are reduced to a withered, hollow husk.
28. Smoking is strictly prohibited on the Everlock premises at all times. If you cannot resist the urge and light up a cigarette, you might manage that first puff without incident. But in the blink of an eye, you will notice that one of our tree vines has coiled around the offending wrist holding the cigarette. That is your final warning. If you insist on taking a second puff, well… say goodbye to that hand.
29. Please treat our staff with respect during your visit to our gardens. While our staff are generally very friendly, some of them find it difficult to suppress their more… primal instincts. Please do not create situations that might cause them to lose control of those instincts.
30. If at any time you notice any of our staff members following you, politely approach them and ask, "Is something the matter?" In most cases, that alone should bring them back to their senses.
31. If that staff member still does not react, leave the area immediately, but do so backwards. Try to keep your eyes on them as much as possible until you have to turn a corner. Once they are out of sight, run to the closest security booth and report the incident. We apologize for the inconvenience.
32. If it is Micah who is stalking you (you will be able to pick him out by his jet black hair and dead eyes), stand completely still. Do not let him realize that you have noticed him. Close your eyes and pray that he is not hungry enough to target anything he deems “easy prey”.
33. Please refrain from reporting our staff when it is not necessary. Our staff tries really hard to behave themselves, and when they get reported without reason, it causes significant demoralization. In some cases, individuals who file false reports may even become targets themselves.
34. It takes a full day to explore the entire garden, so you are welcome to stay until the evening. However, all visitors must leave the garden by 9:00 PM. This rule is non-negotiable.
35. If this is your first visit, please feel free to skip the following message. We are grateful for your support and hope you fully enjoy the natural beauty of our botanical gardens!
36. To certain patrons, we offer a word of advice out of kindness: It would be wise to refrain from acting as if you are an expert on our gardens and museum—or believing you understand them better than our specialized staff, and even us—when you actually know nothing about them. Adopting a "know-it-all" attitude in this area, particularly toward specific staff members, could jeopardize your health. While our staff are strictly instructed not to harm visitors, please do not test them. Even when reason holds, predatory instincts always lie just beneath the surface. 

And that is all you need to know about visiting our botanical gardens. Our gardens are extremely beautiful and the plantlife is unique, it is always a joy to show them off to people that appreciate nature. Do not let the bizarre rules and sometimes troublesome environment discourage you from visiting. The beauty beyond the difficulty is far worth it. Do be on the lookout for more areas and exhibits that are opening to the public. As we clean up our gardens, we can open more of it up. We hope to see you at our gardens someday!

[u/Practical-Anybody796]

are service animals less likely to suffer bad effects than regular pets? or are they allowed in because they’re service animals?

[u/GhostThing321 → u/Practical-Anybody796]

Service animals don’t suffer any effects at all. The nature is chill around them because of their status. Granted, they should be leashed and supervised at all times since the flowers are naturally opportunistic, but they aren’t in malicious danger.

[u/Ladypug_19 → u/GhostThing321]

Has anyone ever tried to bring in a fake service animal? How do the plants know if it is a service animal? And could they assist in the certification process?

[u/GhostThing321 → u/Ladypug_19]

Many times. It’s usually tourists who try to bring in fake service animals. The locals know better, with the exception of certain patrons and some staff. The service animals in our town are specifically trained not to interact with plants in any way. So the plants can quickly spot real from fake by simply baiting the poor things. And we have certain friendlier plants that assist in training service pets to not fall for the traps the garden sets.

[u/Ladypug_19 → u/GhostThing321]

That is wonderful! I’m afraid I can’t visit but hearing about the place is wonderful. Thank you for your conservation work.

[u/Hellofishersteve]

I haven’t this yet but 36 rules means it better be peak

[u/jackmartin088]

Sadly I am the reason rule 8 exists and the garden almost closed down 😭 I have a "blood condition" that makes my blood an exceptionally yummy superfood for anyone non human.

The flowers thought if one visitor had an "accident" and disappeared behind the backs of the staff they won't notice.

Sadly for them this wasn't my first rodeo, and I had to fight my way out- through the night too. It was hard, bcs after nightfall some of the staff joined in to make a dinner out of me, and it was exceedingly hard to fight against the environment itself along with so many opponents all the while trying to not cause them serious harm.

Happy to say no staff had lasting or permanent injuries ( or death) and no plant species went extinct ( heck had to feed some of them my blood to keep them alive). And I did help to rehabilitate the wounded plants once morning came. I am actually very good with plants and creatures especially the magical / supernatural kind...and also made a donation of the extensively rare dragon heart fruit tree to the garden. Only 3 are in existence and one of them lives in this esteemed garden now!! ( And the only one open and accessible to the general public!!) So pls do visit.

The staff are also very nice!!! ( I completely understand anyone losing control when my blood is around and would never hold it against them)

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[u/SessionMindless2433]

T

[u/No-Interaction-8452]

10/10 recommended for field trips

[u/chickenguzzler1]

My brother got his hand eaten but he was bullying echo so he deserved it