Gardening Tips > All year > ‘How to’? Remember a Loved One with a Plant

‘How to’? Remember a Loved One with a Plant

A lovely way to remember a life is with a memorial plant. Planting a tree, bush or flowers in a meaningful place in the garden can be a special way to remember a loved one.

During these difficult times, people around the world haven’t been able to say proper goodbyes to their loved ones. Remember them in a unique way by connecting back to nature. Some like to use the cremated ashes of a loved one to nourish the plant. The special plant will give life to your garden or the surrounding area and give you a safe place to reminisce.

A memorial plant can also be housed in a container. If you don’t have a garden or room for a new plant, there are plenty of small trees, shrubs and plants that will be just as happy in an adequate pot. The planted container can be placed on a doorstep or balcony. It is also nice to put the plant in a container if you live in a rented property, that way it is able to move with you.

Remembrance Roses 

Rose - Truly Loved - remember loved one

Rose – Truly Loved

Roses come up every year and bloom into wonderful flowers with vibrant colours and scents. Pick their favourite colour or choose a special name. Every time they flower you will remember your loved one and smile at the beauty of those memories. They will also make a perfect gift for someone you know.

You can buy some roses that have special names such as:

  • ROSE Remembrance
  • ROSE Mum in a Million
  • ROSE Truly Loved
  • ROSE Sweet Memories
  • ROSE Scent from Heaven
  • ROSE Little Angel

Remembrance Trees 

 

Remember loved one with a tree planted in a container

Another option to celebrate and remember a loved one is by planting a tree. You can watch the tree grow and thrive over time and become part of the world around it. You can plant a tree in your garden or in a pot for a patio or balcony. It is important to choose the right variety of tree for the size and location you have – see our ‘How to’ Plant a Tree guide.

Learn more from the RHS on their tree planting scheme and add yours to the Covid 19 Memorial Tree Planting Map. Or you can view the map to see where others have planted theirs around the UK.

Other Remembrance Plants

  • Lavendula ‘Fragrant Memories’
  • Dianthus ‘Memories’
  • Camellia ‘April Remembered’

The plant you choose doesn’t have to be named specifically as a memorial plant, it could simply be a favourite of the person you wish to remember.

Another idea is to plant a remembrance bed, if you have the space, why not fill a whole bed or border with plants in memory of a special person.

Remembrance Benches

 

You could remember a loved one by placing a bench in their favourite spot in your garden. Did they like relaxing on the patio or sitting watching the birds? Perhaps place remembrance plant nearby the bench, the scent of a specific flower can evoke fond memories – it is proven that a smell can trigger memories with strong emotional connections, more intense than other memory triggers. It is also possible to have an engraved plaque made when you purchase a bench.

 

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