Graves are a place of remembrance of loved ones, their final resting place. Many relatives look after these themselves, which is why appropriate grave design and easy-care grave plants are the successful formula for a tidy, beautifully planted place of final rest. Gardening also has a therapeutic effect and helps to cope with loss. There are many options for grave planting, which vary from site to site. It usually consists of three different areas: frame plants, ground cover and alternate planting. The last, according to experts, should be no more than a third of the area, ground cover takes up half, and frame plants take up the remaining space - about 15% of the planned area.
Easy-care grave planting – frame plants
Frame plants connect theGrabsteinwith the greenery and often stand at the top of the grave, framing it from the right or left. This is mostly done forwoody plantsused – cypress, juniper, yew, pine and also boxwood. It is recommended to avoid symmetrical plantings and opt for asymmetrical ones, as these visually increase the small grave area. Putting together different types of plants orPerennials of different heightswould be a visually appealing design option.
Ground cover for shady and semi-shady locations
The ground cover plants take up most of the area and for several reasons - they are easy to care for, prefer semi-shady to shady locations and suppress weeds when they are densely grown. Ivy (Hedera helix) and the evergreen honeysuckle (Lonicera nitida) are considered classics. Other evergreen ground cover plants are also suitable as easy-care grave plants:
- Partridgeberry (Gaultheria procumbens)
- Haselwurz (Asarum europaeum)
- Fat man (Pachysandra terminalis)
- Spindelstrauch (Euonymus europaeus)
Evergreen ground cover – cotoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri)
The cotoneaster impresses not only with its strong green and beautifully shaped leaves. It is also decorated with red berries and covers the grave in a pretty and easy-care way. It is a frost-hardy plant, so you get a perennial specimen that will decorate the grave for a long time. A partial shade or sunny location is preferred. Expect a height of 30 cm. A plant also grows up to 15 cm wide, which you should keep in mind to ensure there are enough plants.
Mühlenbeckia (Muehlenbeckia axillaris)
The best location for the Mühlenbeckia is also a partially shaded, but bright place. It is important to know that the plant needs a lot of moisture. Although the plant can grow in direct sun, such a place should be avoided due to its high water requirements. Then the earth would dry out too quickly. Of course, it depends on how often you can visit and care for the grave. Depending on the size of the plant, 11 to 25 plants are planted per square meter. Since the plant is winter hardy down to minus 20 degrees, new leaves can be expected in spring after the leaves fall in autumn.
Sternmoos (Sagina subulata)
The star moss is perennial and winter-proof at temperatures down to minus 15 degrees. Since this species, like other types of moss, requires a lot of moisture, a shady to semi-shady location is preferable. If you still want to plant the moss in a sunny location, sufficient watering is mandatory, ideally in the morning or evening so that the water can be absorbed into the soil before it is evaporated by the heat. A fairly sandy soil is also important so that the roots do not rot in the wet seasons.
Spiny nut (Acaena)
The prickly nut is perfect for low-maintenance grave planting. The main reason for its popularity is the colorful foliage, the color of which ranges from green-blue to coppery red to strong red. Approximately after summer, the interesting spiky fruit heads appear, which give the plants a further interesting charm. Guarantee a well-drained soil to avoid rot in winter. A mix of clay and sand is ideal. A sunny location is also preferable. In winter it is best to cover the plant with a cold protection made of brushwood.
Depending on the season
A third part of the grave area is usually the alternating planting, which is changed three times a year - spring, summer and autumn. The planting of bulbous flowers and horned violets for spring begins in autumn, ideally in September and November.
In spring – red primroses and white ornamental gravel
Set accents throughout the year by planting plant species that bloom differently - for example early and late bulb flowers such as crocuses, hyacinths and ornamental onions. Other species are a good choice for borders - primroses (Primula), forget-me-nots, daisies (Bellis) and pansies.
Red Daisy (Bellis)
Tulips, horned violets and daffodils, planted in small groups between the ground cover plants, are particularly effective with their colorful flowers. The light under the deciduous trees is sufficient for these and they are also insensitive to frost. This way you don't have to worry about replanting every year. The bulbs simply remain in the ground and appear again next spring.
In summer, the trees cast dense shade on the grave area and daily watering would also be impossible, so you should choose less demanding plants. A good solution would be:
- Geraniums
- Margerites
- Begonias
- Fuchsien
- Sommerphlox (Phlox paniculata)
- white scented stonewort (Lobularia, Alyssum maritimum)
Blue flowering lobelia (Lobelia)
Lobelias delight us with their flowers between May and September and for this purpose they need a location that is as sunny as possible because they originally come from South Africa and other warm areas. If necessary, partial shade is also suitable. The annual plant requires an outside temperature of at least 15 degrees, as well as a water-permeable soil that should never dry out and be fertilized regularly.
Busy Lizzie (Impatiens walleriana) or primroses in different bright colors
With primroses and the busy lizard you will undoubtedly get beautiful and, above all, colorful eye-catchers and easy-care grave plants. The plants are offered in a wide variety of colors. While the busy Lieschen prefers shade and partial shade, a partial shade or a sunny place should be found for the primrose. Lizzies are not hardy and are sold as annual plants, while primroses can survive the winter. Both types of flowers require a lot of water. Care also includes regularly removing the withered flowers. This is the only way new flowers can continue to form and delight you for a long time.
In autumn – cherry laurel, star moss and white chrysanthemums
Graves are traditionally planted in autumnand decorated with flower arrangements, as the days on which the deceased are remembered are approaching - the “silent holidays” of All Saints and All Souls on November 1st and 2nd. Autumn bloomers, such as autumn crocuses and autumn daisies as well as cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum), are suitable for alternating planting, which look particularly beautiful from a distance and set accents with strong flower colors. Red-leaved purple bells, yellow chrysanthemums and pepper plants with decorative fruits look beautiful and could be used as bowl plants. .
Magic snow (Euphorbia hybrid 'Diamond Frost')
An undemanding plant that is used in grave design is magic snow (Euphorbia hybrid 'Diamond Frost'). It looks delicate with its small white flowers, but is very hardy and blooms from May until the first frosts in November. The plant needs partial shade or a sunny location because it loves warmth. If you only have one shade available, the magic snow can also be planted there, but then you can expect a smaller number of flowers. Water the plant regularly; short dry periods can be easily tolerated. Fertilization is carried out regularly from the end of spring to late summer. However, care must be taken to avoid over-fertilization. The plant doesn’t get too many salts. Otherwise, you will receive the perfect specimen for easy-care grave planting.
Hardy common heather (Calluna vulgaris)
A lot of crop work should be done in the fall –Perennials and evergreen shrubsplanted, while non-hardy plants were stored for overwintering. The falling leaves should be removed regularly to prevent possible diseases on the plants.
Hardy plant species
The common heather (Calluna vulgaris) blooms in pink or purple and together with the green tones of the juniper and the white spherical fruits of the snowberry creates a very graceful planting with attractive shades. Short-growing varieties are suitable as bowl plants for small graves or urn graves - for example Calluna vulgaris. The Christmas rose (Helleborus niger) is one of the oreo plants that blooms in winter and is a very special eye-catcher.
AfterSelect location – sunny, partial or full shade
As with the greenery and the plant bed in the garden, the location for the grave area should also be taken into account in order to fundamentally select the right plants.
Lush greenery with flowering plant species for a sunny location
Suitable sun lovers for easy-care grave greenery are ground cover roses, geraniums,Ice begonias, Elatior begonias and the Kalanchoe with its thick-fleshed leaves. The Dipladenia (Mandevilla sanderi), also known as a robust flowering miracle, is particularly drought-tolerant and very popular on graves. Different breeds delight with white, bright red, pink orlush yellow flowers. Sunny to semi-shady locations tolerate busy Lieschen and Male Faithful quite well.
Suitable sun lovers
Trench soil is usually rather dry and sandy, which is why plant species that thrive in sunny locations are ideal for planting in full sun locations. Popular varieties are:
- Sand-Thymian (Thymus serpyllum)
- Creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis)
- Spiny nut (Acaena buchananii)
- Fiederpolster (Leptinella squalida)
- Woll-Ziest (Stachys)
Ground cover and evergreens for shady or semi-shady locations
Lobelias, yellow alyssum and conifers in partial shade
Almost all ground cover plants and evergreens, as well as fuchsias and tuberous begonias, are suitable for graves in shady locations.
Symbolism and meaning of plant species
Many plants are very popular because of their symbolism and can be used to express the character of the deceased or the feelings of relatives. Plants with prickly leaves, such as the Ilex and the firethorn, are popularly known for keeping evil away. The thuja has been called the tree of life and the hanging cattail willow (Salix caprea 'Pendula') stands for performance and vitality. Other plants with transferred symbolic meaning include:
- Memorial tree (Omphalodes verna)
- Bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis)
- Forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica)
- Cowslip (Primula veris)
- Lily
Tips for easy careGrave planting
Graves are best watered occasionally in the morning, as the sun is the most wet at middayLeaves and flowersburns. If the plants are watered in the evening, they cannot properly absorb the moisture before the temperatures drop.
Choosing the right plants
When choosing the right plants for grave planting, the taste of the deceased should always be taken into account.
Easy-care species – conifers, spindle bush, blue fescue
Frame plants and ground cover, the permanent planting, should be coordinated with the gravestone and selected to match.
Asymmetrical grave planting is recommended
If the grave area is small, asymmetrical grave planting would be recommended to visually enlarge the area
Ground covers made of gravel or colored bark mulch
In principle, ground cover plants are the least-maintenance option for greening the grave area. An even easier-care alternative is ground covers made of gravel or colored bark mulch.
Stone slabs, lying stones and boulders on the grave area
The cemetery rules vary from cemetery to cemetery and are usually differentwhichTime the grave needs to be beautifully planted. Covering stone slabs, lying stones and boulders save the gardener's effort, but are not permitted in every cemetery.
