For our loved ones that were born in the month of August, a good starting place for planning a memorial theme is the August birth flower, the gladiolus.

Striking beauty, from the Latin word “gladius,” meaning sword. Glads symbolize strength and moral integrity.

If you don’t know the loved one’s favorite color, you could draw on the colors the Peridot gemstone.  Peridot is the August birthstone and is mainly green, with golden yellows and brown inclusions. The color of summer.

Ancient Egyptians called peridot “The Gem of the Sun” because it was supposedly too bright to be visible in the sunny Egyptian desert. Legend also suggests that peridot can glow at night and it’s now believed that Cleopatra´s emeralds were really fine, dark green peridots.

Drawing on the color of peridot and the color of summer, Urngarden.com has green and gold urns at a tremendous savings for families.

Check out this unusual idea for a simple, elegant floating glad floral arrangement.

Took a peek at my florist’s selection of wreaths designed for a cremation urn.  Not a lot of options, they had two in a notebook, not listed on their website.   Here’s some ideas for a memorial service urn floral display staged with various marble, metal, and cloisonne urns.

My favorite is a more wild natural look, with a combination of roses, succulents, and wildflowers. Simple and beautiful and softens the metal urn.

A marble or stone urn is paired with a more traditional style wreath studded with roses, daisies, and greenery.

Lilies are so fragrant, and symbolize friendship.

This next one seems a bit heavy on the pink, but if it was the deceased’s favorite color, hey, bring it on!  This particular arrangement gives you an idea of blending the elements of candles, flowers or urn in the loved one’s favorite color to personalize the memorial service.  The explosion of pink has all the funeral favorites, roses, Gerber daisies, glads, lilies, and carnations.

Our Larkspur have already come and gone.  Always precarious in early spring, it takes me awhile to distinguish between weed and bloom.  Over the years, I’ve ripped up a few plants before I realized. Larkspur are easy, hardy, and often in the wildflower mixes that you can buy inexpensively and sprinkle out of a can.

Larkspur is the July birth flower and symbolizes laughter, energy, and relaxation.

Memorial Garden Stone

Green and gold in the garden.  A cool respite in the heat.

Green, the color of life, renewal. Gold = wealth , riches, and wisdom.

To celebrate Life and the green and gold of summer, we have the Glory Cremation Urn and matching keepsake on sale for $99.00

Glory Cremation Urn, free keepsake urn

A nice surprise on Memorial Day 2010, poppies sprang up around the bird bath in the garden.

We love poppies, blood red oriental poppies. Ancient Egyptians placed garlands of poppies on mummies and the Greeks crowned their dead with the flower. Legend has it that in Europe, poppies sprang up on battlefields from the blood of slain soldiers. In the Victorian language of flowers, Poppies symbolize consolation, sleep, and rest,  and was commonly used to memorialize the dead.

“And now, my beauties, something with poison in it, I think. Something with poison in it, but attractive to the eye,  and soothing to the smell. Poppies… Poppies. Poppies will put them to sleep. Sleep. Now they’ll sleep!”
-The Wicked Witch of the West

The Urn Garden Rock of Love Collection is special because each urn is a work of art.  A natural beauty. Quarried from all over the world.

Black Zebra marble urn with pewter finial and base.

Gothic Black Marble Urn

The Fossil Marble Urn is quarried from an ancient seabed and is characterized by the presence of the fossilized prehistoric marine life.

Fossil Marble Urn

Create a lasting memorial garden with our River Rock Outdoor Urn.

Outdoor Urn

Merl Wilhelm

July 14, 1934-April 6, 2010

We’ll miss seeing you buzzing around the garden.  Merle had his chair rigged for trash collection, and was the eyes and ears for our block.  A good man and proud American. Our thoughts go out to the family.

Irish Blessing Garden Stone

If you are thinking about stepping out, consider a lucky shamrock garden stone.

Sturdy, durable and weatherproof. Each garden stone carries an Irish Blessing, and best of all?  Made in the U.S.A. + free shipping!

Visit Urngarden.com for more Spring urn and memorial garden stone selections.

Our Made in the USA collection includes our solid walnut American Patriot Military urn. Made in the great Northwest.

American Patriot Military Urn

From a talented artist in the Midwest- our sculpted horse keepsake urn:

East Coast creates some of our garden stones and statuary:

Garden Gnome Raindrop Catcher

And from right here in the Ozarks, one of my favorite artists’ creation- The Crow Feather Raku funeral urn.

White Crackle Crow Feather Raku Urn

More ideas from our shooting star collection of keepsake urns and memorial stones:

Celtic Starburst Keepsake Urn

starfish urn necklace

Stars in the Sky memorial stone