How to Build a Memorial Garden

There are several reasons why you may not be able to visit your deceased loved one at a traditional cemetery. Perhaps you live to far away, or perhaps your loved one has been cremated and is kept in your home or someone else’s. This denies you the comfort of visiting on special occasions, or of even placing flowers or mementos on the grave. An easy answer is to build a Memorial Garden in your yard. It needn’t be elaborate or expensive, just put your love and creativity into it.

Choose a prominent location in your yard, or a small secluded area. The choice is really a personal preference. You are making this a special place to honor and remember the loved one you lost. Think in terms of what was special to the both of you.

A small rock garden can be designed by simply outlining a spot with stones. You can purchase the stones or you can collect them from a creek or river bed. Fill the outlined area in with rocks of your choosing. Bags of decorative rocks can be purchased at most retail chain stores that have a garden section.

Add whatever you like to your rock garden. Perhaps a bird bath or a small water fountain is to your liking. Perhaps a particular statue reminds you of your loved one. Whatever you add to your Memorial Garden should be personal and meaningful to you.

Allowing close family members to honor the lost loved one can help them heal as well. If you have a lost a spouse and their wish was to be cremated, your children will not have a place to visit their parent either. Let them place a small token in your Memorial Garden as well. It can be a plaque that simply says Mother or Father, and has a perfect poem on it.

Add some decorative solar lights to your Memorial Garden so that your loved one’s memory is always bathed in light. Now, when you and family members wish to reflect on memories of your loved one, you will have a beautiful place to go to.

Tend to the Memorial Garden lovingly. You can even speak with your loved one as you pull weeds from the garden, or just sit nearby and quietly remember your loved one. Be proud of your Memorial Garden and visit it often. It can be a source of great comfort to you.

Tip: If you prefer you can plant a special tree, or bush in honor of your deceased love one. Circle it with rocks and fill the inner ring with a statue or plaque to honor your loved one.

Comments (4)

Carl Benjamin said:

	... Very well done. One thing that you will discover here is that nobody hardly makes comments about your work. Thisis time saving but, reduces hits.
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July 22, 2009
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roseanne09 said:

	... This is an excellent way to remember someone. Thanks for sharing.
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August 21, 2009
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grannygoodearth said:

	... What a thoughtful article! I have always thought about doing such a garden but was never quite sure where to start. Thanks!
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January 20, 2010
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Margie Lynn said:

	... This is a great suggestion. I lost my only child seven years ago at age 31, I am going to try this. It would give me and his two children pleasure every time we look at it.
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July 17, 2010
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