Theme Garden Design - Memorial Garden

Wiese Acres Memorial Garden

I love to stroll through the Memorial Garden, savoring the sights and smells and the memories.  As I walk past the small patch of corn with its stalks rustling in the breeze, I remember Dad walking through the farm yard whistling "Darling Clementine" or "Red River Valley".    The bright red "Christmas Carol" daylily, with the statue of the little girl and her dogs and cats tucked beside it, reminds me of my sister Carol's love for the holidays and her affinity for collecting animals of all sorts.  The entire garden is a reminder of Mom's love for gardening, but there are still some specific reminders of her tucked in there, like "Broadmare's Wilma" and "Quilt Patch" daylilies.

A memorial garden can help with the grief we feel after losing someone we love.  It gives a special place to remember them and reflect on how they touched our lives.  It does not need to be an entire garden.  You can designate a corner of an existing garden as a memorial section.

You can use plants that the loved one enjoyed.  My mother-in-law loved the scent of roses, so there is a highly fragrant rose planted in one area.  Herbs, such as lavender or lemon balm, can also be used to incorporate a person's favorite fragrances.

There is no rule that flowers and edible fruits and vegetables can't be mixed in the same garden, so a person's favorite food can be incorporated into the memorial garden.  Dad loved growing and eating corn, so every year, I find a small spot somewhere in the Wiese Acres Memorial Garden to plant a few kernels of corn for him.  Strawberries, tomatoes, chards, and many herbs are attractive plants that fit nicely with flowers.

Memorial gardens can also be designed around a specific color theme.  For example, if a loved one had strong military ties, a red, white and blue garden might be in order.   An avid sports fan might be memorialized with the colors of his or her favorite team.

Any plant that reminds you of a person is a candidate for a memorial garden.  "Prairie Blue Eyes" daylily reminds me of the beautiful, sparkling blue eyes of Aunt Lu.  The Whitney Crabapple tree  that anchors one corner of the garden reminds me of my father-in-law, who made a family event of apple-picking time each fall.

Plants that bear the name of your loved one can be used.  Daylilies are a good choice as there are thousands of cultivars, many of which are named after a person.  That's where the "Broadmare's Wilma" comes in for Mom, or the "Prestor John" for Grandpa.    Plant names can also be used to evoke a certain feeling in the garden, such as iris "Immortality" or the daylily "Spiritual Corridor".

Another source of memories might be the plants fondly remembered from the loved one's garden.  There are iris, peonies, tulips, roses, violets, and gladiolus in the Wiese Acres Memorial Garden to remind me of special times with other gardeners.

A small corner of the garden is dedicated to the furry folks who've been a part of our family over the years.  This section is anchored by "Cat Dancer" daylilies and a small dogwood tree.

Garden art or statuary that evokes the memory of a loved one can be used in the garden.  There's the little girl surrounded by dogs and cats, a replica John Deere tractor, and a bear that make me stop and smile as I remember in my garden.

If there is space, it is nice to have a small seating area where people can sit and remember, either by themselves, or with other loved ones.

One of my favorite activities is to stroll through the Wiese Acres Memorial Garden with my cup of coffee, enjoying my memories of wonderful times.