This is such a great question and an important way we can connect with plants! While we definitely know people are looking for specific recommendations, it’s also important to consider what/who they wish to commemorate, and the timing of that. It’s always nice to, for example, have a plant that’s in beautiful full bloom when a loved one would have celebrated a birthday, or to lift your spirits on the anniversary of their passing. It’s also nice to consider where someone is from: for example, when my mother-in-law passed away, we wanted to plant an Ohio native tree to remember her by, as she was from Ohio. For births, it’s always nice to choose something that’s spectacular at that time of year so it becomes a part of your celebrations through the years. With all that said, here’s a short list of plants that we love and feel appropriate to this purpose: Perennials: Summerific perennial hibiscus, Empress Wu hosta, miscanthus grass, peony, Decadence baptisia – all of these are long-lived and have major impact in the garden. Shrubs: lilac, panicle hydrangea, oakleaf hydrangea, rhododendron, gardenia, rose of Sharon, arborvitae (means “tree of life” in Latin), viburnum. Trees: serviceberry, crabapple, weeping cherry, weeping blue Atlas cedar, dogwood (both our native Cornus florida and the Korean dogwood, Cornus kousa), elm, weeping willow (if you have the space for it!).