Legal

Terms of Service

Last updated: May 2026

Summary (plain English)

Use the Site for personal, non-commercial purposes only.
Our content is copyright protected — brief quotes with attribution are fine; bulk reproduction is not.
We display Google AdSense ads and use affiliate links — both are clearly disclosed.
Garden information may change; always verify hours and prices directly with each garden.
We are not liable for decisions made based on content on this Site.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using BotanicalGardens.blog (the "Site"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms") and our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated herein by reference. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Site. We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Continued use of the Site after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.

2. Description of Service

BotanicalGardens.blog is an independent informational publication providing editorial guides, visitor information, and horticultural content about public botanical gardens across the United States. The Site is provided free of charge to readers and is supported by advertising (Google AdSense) and affiliate partnerships. We do not sell products or services directly to visitors.

3. Permitted Use

You may access and use the Site for personal, non-commercial informational purposes. You agree not to:

Reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, or exploit any portion of the Site's content for commercial purposes without our express written permission.
Use automated tools (bots, scrapers, crawlers) to systematically extract content from the Site in bulk.
Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the Site or its related systems.
Use the Site in any manner that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair the Site's servers or networks.
Post, transmit, or distribute any unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, or otherwise objectionable content.
Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely represent your affiliation with any person or entity.

4. Intellectual Property

All original content on the Site — including text, editorial guides, photographs, graphics, logos, and the overall selection and arrangement of content — is the property of BotanicalGardens.blog or its content suppliers and is protected by United States and international copyright laws.

You may quote brief excerpts from our content for commentary, criticism, or educational purposes, provided you attribute the source with a link to the original page. Any other reproduction, distribution, or derivative use requires our prior written consent.

Garden names, trademarks, and logos referenced on this Site are the property of their respective owners. Their appearance on the Site does not imply any endorsement or affiliation.

5. User-Submitted Content

If you submit content to us (e.g., corrections, feedback, or newsletter responses), you grant BotanicalGardens.blog a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, worldwide license to use, reproduce, modify, and publish that content in connection with the Site. You represent that you have the right to grant this license and that your submission does not infringe any third-party rights.

6. Newsletter

By subscribing to the Garden Notes newsletter, you consent to receive periodic email communications from BotanicalGardens.blog. You may unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe link included in every email. We will not share your email address with third parties for their own marketing purposes. See our Privacy Policy for full details on how we handle your data.

7. Advertising

This Site displays advertisements served by Google AdSense and may display advertisements from other third-party networks. We do not endorse the products or services advertised. Google AdSense uses cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this and other websites. You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. We are not responsible for the content of third-party advertisements.

8. Affiliate Links

Some links on this Site are affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. We only link to products and services we believe may be genuinely useful to our readers. Affiliate relationships do not influence our editorial content, garden rankings, or recommendations. All affiliate links are disclosed in accordance with FTC guidelines.

9. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SITE AND ITS CONTENT ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

We do not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components. Garden information — including hours, admission prices, seasonal programming, and accessibility details — changes frequently. We make reasonable efforts to keep content current but cannot guarantee accuracy at the time of your visit. Always verify information directly with each garden before visiting.

10. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, BOTANICALGARDENS.BLOG AND ITS OWNERS, EDITORS, AND CONTRIBUTORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO YOUR USE OF THE SITE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO RELIANCE ON INFORMATION PUBLISHED ON THE SITE, INABILITY TO ACCESS THE SITE, OR ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN CONTENT. OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING FROM THESE TERMS OR YOUR USE OF THE SITE SHALL NOT EXCEED ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100).

11. Third-Party Links

The Site contains links to external websites, including official garden websites, Wikipedia, and other reference sources. These links are provided for your convenience and reference only. We do not control, and are not responsible for, the content, privacy practices, or availability of any linked external sites. The inclusion of a link does not imply our endorsement of the linked site.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless BotanicalGardens.blog and its owners, editors, contributors, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in any way connected with your access to or use of the Site, your violation of these Terms, or your infringement of any intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity.

13. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States and the State of California, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any dispute arising under these Terms shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in California. You consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts. If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

14. Termination

We reserve the right to terminate or restrict your access to the Site at any time, without notice, for conduct that we believe violates these Terms or is harmful to other users, us, third parties, or the integrity of the Site. Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall survive, including intellectual property, disclaimers, and limitations of liability.

15. Changes to These Terms

We may revise these Terms at any time by posting an updated version on this page. The "Last updated" date will reflect the most recent change. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically. Your continued use of the Site after any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

16. Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us at: hello@botanicalgardens.blog.