Life in the Garden

Matters of Life and Death

ideas for memorial garden

July Birth Flower: Larkspur

larkspur

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 and might be a good choice for a memorial garden.

Larkspur is the July birth flower and symbolizes laughter, energy, and relaxation. You could even decorate with a small garden stone, like the river rock that looks natural and would blend in without looking like a grave yard. The nice thing about these stones are you can have them personalized with names and dates if you want.

memorial garden stones

larkspur flower

Memorial Garden Stone
Memorial Garden Stone

Memorial Day Poppies

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

Heart Shaped Garden Stones

vintage valentine postcard

When a loved one dies, placing a heart-shaped garden stone in your yard is a personal yet comforting reminder of that person who now lives in your heart. Made out of marble, resin, hand cast stone or concrete, garden stones are durable and waterproof and can last for many years.

heart shaped garden stones

The heart-shaped memorial stones offer special symbolism as hearts show affection from the living for those who died. Two hearts joined are also extremely special as they symbolize marriage or a committed relationship. These are perfect for families who want to honor both parents who died.

Some heart-shaped garden stones come with hangers so they can be hung on a wall or garden post. Consider personalizing the memorial stones with your loved one’s name, favorite quote or Scripture and dates of birth and death. Some stones are large enough to have an image etched or engraved. This is popular for families who wish to memorialize a pet that died.

When ordering heart-shaped garden stones, remember that they come in various sizes and weights. Make sure to take into consideration when ordering. Heart-shaped garden stones are a great way to dedicate a memorial garden or special tree, bush or flower planting.
Urn Garden

Memorial Stones and Fall Planting

Fall is an excellent time to plant a tree as a living memorial for a loved one. Even apartment dwellers can adopt and beautify a blighted urban area or possibly a park area. (Contact local officials in your area) We’ve assisted many schools that have planned tree planting memorials for students and faculty.

Depending on the zone you live in Fall planting is best in mild climates. Weather conditions are cool and allow plants to establish roots in the new location before spring rains and summer heat stimulate new top growth.

A popular choice for a memorial planting is the Weeping Cherry tree. These stunning ornamental trees are generally pest and disease resistant and don’t require a lot of pruning. Pair your new planting with a memorial stone and you’ll have created a beautiful living tribute to honor your loved one.

Examples of memorial stones that some of our families have chosen:

This style is one of the most popular and can be personalized with artwork and a custom message.

The heart-shaped memorial stones are an inexpensive option: Less than $40.00

The river rock garden stones also do well and can be personalized with custom message and artwork.

All of our stones can sustain harsh winters and usually ship within a week after ordering.

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Back Yard Memorial Gardens

UrnGarden Greeting

Many of our clients are keeping the cremated remains of their loved ones close….in the home or on the property. Today, we’re sharing some examples of loving tributes created by real people. My grandmother, Etta introduced me to the healing and restorative powers of memorial gardens when she lost her husband and son.

At the time, Etta lived in a rural area and had the space to create her memorial garden. She chose a military theme to honor her husband and son’s service in the Navy.

urngarden memorial garden

Not the greatest photo, but you get the idea. Several years later, we packed her up and moved her closer to the family in a condo right in the middle of town. The fountain was sold at an auction, but the remainder of the garden was transplanted to the men’s burial site.

Apartment dwellers and other urbanites may not have the luxury of a small space for planting, but there are other alternatives and we’ll cover those tomorrow. For more information on creating a loving memorial garden or tribute, visit our site urngarden.com

Other examples:

“What I did was set up bird feeders because Eddie so loved his birds. I remember on the morning of his death- it was just daybreak- and as they carried his body to the ambulance, the birds were singing everywhere! Everyone noticed. It seemed the birds sensed something was very different and were saying goodbye (or maybe hello) to him.”

“My husband died very young of a chronic illness. His acceptance of his death was beyond understanding. He asked that his ashes become “part of the good earth”. He died on the vernal equinox. On the summer solstice, our family planted a flowering crab tree, one he always wanted, with his ashes mixed into the roots. Our oldest son graduated from high school one year later, and we took pictures of him in his cap and gown with “Dad”, who was blossoming beautifully. As long as they live, this will always be “Dad’s tree.”

Our tree dedication stones are an excellent way to dedicate your sacred space.

For those without the room or the ability to create an elaborate, in-ground garden, a patio or indoor pot can be planted instead. A simple potted planting can be just as meaningful as more complex garden. Bend a wire coat hanger into the shape of a heart and secure in potting soil. Plant a climbing vine that you can train to grow up the wire. Rosemary symbolizes remembrance, English Ivy friendship are easy plants to train into a topiary form.

Today’s tip for better living: Tell everyone special to you that you love them!