By this I mean that in a garden, the bereaved may feel closer to their loved one than they would before a grand monument. A number of remembrance gardens are being created to remember those who have died of AIDS . I especially like the idea of memorial groves . If native trees are planted and allowed to reseed, a memorial grove can remain a living organism for thousands of years. The individual trees will die, but the grove can remain.
Death is always a part of gardening, just as it is a part of life.
A garden can help to integrate death into life and in doing so, death becomes natural and acceptable. Treetoad, your idea is wonderful, and couldn't come at a better time. I doubt if it would catch on where I live. Out of the Closet OK Kirk , I must come clean and tell you about my involvement in the creation of a Heritage Forest. Other than the ivy One cat is buried under a weeping Japanese maple - she thought it was her own personal shade tree.