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Gardening in Oz

Memorial Garden ideas

18 years ago

I would like some suggestions from you clever bunch of gardeners for a small memorial garden.

I was thinking perhaps 3m square. I see roses, lavender, something nice smelling, but sounds a bit boring. Perhaps a sundial. Something sybolic would be lovely.

This is for a young girl who was cruelly taken this week, and I was thinking it would be nice to do something of beauty to remember her by. This would be on the school grounds.

It could be something the students could help with.

Any ideas greatly appreciated.

Popi

Comments (7)

Sparaxis
18 years ago
Think tough plants, that won't need watering, and think something that will bloom for much of the year. Some of the Alistair Clark roses - Suiter is one I have seen growing out of an old tree stump - never watered - always in bloom.
Lavanders are easy care but need clipping - I think French lavander blooms the longest. Daylilies are easy going, and repeat bloom for some time.
It might pay to take note of the girls personal interests when choosing a feature. I can't make any suggestions, but her school friends most likely can and should be involved in the process of choosing. Perhaps something they could sculpt of they are older students?
User
18 years ago
What about a plant that has her name or close to it.

It would be nice to get ideas from the students who knew her well.

Perhaps her favourite colour could feature, or something else she loved.

Clay pavers with inscriptions baked in, done by her closest friends.

It's a lovely idea of yours.

Cheers,
Dee.
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Thank you all for your suggestions and kind words. It is definitely helping me planning the Memory Garden. My Grandma loved gardening and I think she would really like it. Grandma's favorite color was blue and her favorite flower was African Violets. I can always remember her having AV all over the house and they were so pretty. She has given me lots of iris, hens & chicks and several other things over the years that I plan on moving to this garden. She also loved strawberries and chocolate, so I have added plants with names like "Strawberry Swirl, Candy Girl, Strawberry Ribbon Grass." Her name was Florence and I haven't found a plant yet with that name. I will definitely check out the link for Tinkers though. Thank you Heather for giving me that suggestion. Grandma also loved birds and always had bird feeders outside her window. So I am adding lots of bird houses and feeders. We received a couple Angel garden statues for the funeral which I have also put in there. My husband made a nice bench for the center of flowerbed and I am hoping to add a few other decorative things also. I actually do have Remember Me hosta, so I will have to move that to this garden also. Rose of Sharon is a great idea also and one of my favorites. You have a good point on taking my time planting things. I have felt like I had to get it done right away, but it would be nice to add things later on as I find plants that fould be perfect for it. Thank you all again for your suggestions. I truly appreciate it. It is comforting knowing others understand what I am feeling and my need to do something special to honor my Grandma. Please, any other ideas or suggestions are more than welcome. I am also happy to set up trades. Thanks again! Teresa (Cindy, I sent you an email. )
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Lucky dog to have found you. If you could find something that blooms around his Birth/adoption Day that would be special. Might also put in a small tree or shrub that will be there a long time. Jap. Maple?
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Allan, So sorry about your loss, but I think your idea for a memorial garden is excellent. Keep the idea of a designer in the back of your mind for now, and do some research on ornamental grasses and bed design/layout first. Go to the library, or a bookstore, and find a couple of good books on grasses. The Color Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses, Rick Darke, Timber Press, ISBN 0881924644 The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses, John Greenlee, Rodale, ISBN 0875961002 Read them and look at the photos of grasses and beds. You'll have a better idea of what they can do for you, and how they go together with each other and other garden plants. Use Google and the web for more ideas. Many plant catalog companies include professionally designed beds and groupings that include grasses. One that I like particularly is High Country Gardens, linked below. They specialize in xeriscape gardening, and it's not limited to high elevation locations. Finally, read back through this forum's threads, and continue to ask us questions. Good luck and Happy Holidays. Donn Here is a link that might be useful: High Country Gardens
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Michelle, This is coming late but if you haven't already, here are some plants that could work for you. I don't know your site or your taste but... Perhaps as an anchor, an evergreen azalea or rhododendren would work and a hydrangea to play against it? Ogon, a spirea with tiny white flowers and delicate leaves could mix in. Jacques Cartier is a small rose I grow in the shade with beautiful pink flowers and healthy blue-green foliage. A Pieris like Dorothy Wyckoff with early scented blooms draped like pearls and beautiful red buds all winter. Plus in Z7, you can grow many camellias. Also there is Mountain Laurel, with perfect flowers of pinks and whites. Then there are a few snowball viburnum like V. carlesi or a scented daphne. Kerria Japonica is good for a brighter pallete. Clematis prefer sun but will do something for you in shade. I grow a few in shade - Miss Bateman and Niobe. A very sweet early one is Markham's Pink but they are many. There are many sweet perennials to consider also. Epimedium, pulmonaria, gingers, hellebores, brunneras, sweet woodruff, cimafuga, hostas, vincas, heuchera, tiarella, begonia grandis, variegated solomon seal, variegated pachysandra. On another site, there was a very charming post of a little patch of variegated pachysandra with snowdrops blooming through it. On the same site, another gardener posted purple leaved ajuga with fall crocus blooming among it. Both were very effective. If you email me, I can send you a start in the spring of epimedium Lilafee, sweet woodruff and a white vinca called Gertrude Jekyll. Here is a link that might be useful: images of lilafee
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popi_gw
Original Author
18 years ago
Many thanks Sparaxis and Dee, brought tears to my eyes thinking of your lovely ideas.

P
alisonoz_gw
18 years ago
When I saw the post, I had some thoughts like Sparaxis. Perhaps a native garden - plants endemic to the area, one nice hardy shrub, some ground-covers, a plaque, and some ornaments peeking out, maybe a little dry-river bed and a seat for reflection. As with the above posters, the best chosers would be her school-friends. Keep it simple.
User
18 years ago
Hi Popi,
I do hope you let us know what you finally decide on. It would be lovely to know. Good luck with the project.
Cheers,
Dee.
popi_gw
Original Author
18 years ago
I will indeed, let you know Dee.

I think I might wait until after the funeral and then approach the principal, he could act as a sounding board, and maybe a go-between.

I have been doing some reading up on garden design and thinking on how to actually present the proposal.

Its really such an emotional situation.

Sadness all around, lets brighten up the world with beauty and goodwill through gardening. Gardeners of the world unite !!

Popi (I'll get down off my soapbox now.)
pepino
18 years ago
Hi Popi
We had a funeral recently and I noticed the younger generation were fascinated by Kangaroo Paws in some of the arrangements. They are hardy plants and come in a few different colours.

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