When I was first faced with the need to select flowers to plant on the grave of a loved one, many small problems arose that required an answer. Is it possible to arrange a flower garden on the grave itself or only near it? And if possible, then at the feet or at the head? And what types of flowers should be planted in such cases?

It soon became clear that there were no official or religious rules on this topic. But there is only common sense and a sense of proportion, which say that the burial place should look modest and not resemble a flowerbed in appearance. There is a popular belief that flowers should not be planted on a fresh grave. You should wait one year, only then will the flowers begin to grow roots. This is not entirely true: flowers take root wonderfully at any time, except during the winter cold. Only if the soil of the grave is subject to shrinkage, the flower garden itself may slightly lose its correct outline. So, to achieve the ideal look of the planted vegetation, you can wait a year.

What flowers should I plant on the grave to make them look appropriate? Not too bright and not obnoxiously luxurious. I would say that roses and peonies, which among ancient peoples symbolized carnal perfection and swagger, respectively, would not be suitable. Here we need unpretentious, perennial plants that can simultaneously withstand drought and not burn out under the hot rays of the sun. I can recommend several of these types:

Bergenia thickleaf. Severe Siberian plant. With the first frost, its leaves do not turn yellow, but turn red. The small five-pointed flowers of bergenia have a light lilac hue. Its bushes with thick stems adapt well to almost any soil.

Euphorbia fringed. This wild North American flower grows even on rocky and sandy soils. The plant is an annual plant, but in some cases it reproduces by self-sowing. There is no need to water it at all; excess moisture can only harm the milkweed. The petals and leaves of milkweed have an original combination of white, green and light green colors.

Sedum. Its yellow five-pointed narrow petals are a bit reminiscent of sad stars. From such flowers to rural areas funeral wreaths are often made. The plant's durability is so high that it does not wither for a long time, even when picked. Sedum requires very little watering and loves full sun.

Balsams. Their different breeds come in almost every shade of red, sometimes a combination of pink and white. Although these flowers do not require special care, they will still need to be watered occasionally. Direct sunlight can damage balsam, so it is better to plant it on a grave where the monument provides shade.

Daylilies. Their most common colors are purple and orange-yellow. Daylilies need to be watered rarely, but abundantly. They withstand windy conditions and temporary elevations groundwater. Darker plant varieties may fade in the sun. Only winter-hardy varieties of daylily are recommended for use in our latitudes.

Marigold. They are also called Turkish carnations. The color is pure orange or yellow, or a mixture of these colors. They usually begin to bloom two to three months after planting. The plant is resistant to fungal diseases and is able to protect other crops planted nearby from them. They don’t like extreme cold, so in the northern climatic zones It is better to refrain from experiments with marigolds.

Decorating a grave in a cemetery with flowers can depend on various factors. For example, many old burial sites contain large numbers of trees. They provide shade in which they can grow successfully apical pachysandra, yellow zelenchuk, heartleaf tiarella. If you have the opportunity to come to the cemetery every week to care for flowers, the variety of types of flowers to choose from increases significantly. Will do begonia, cicenaria, alyssum, tagetes and many other delicate representatives of the world flora.

When planting flowers on a grave, you need to take into account not only how they look during the flowering period (which may be short-lived), but also the visual effect they produce the rest of the time. In unguarded cemeteries, it is necessary to plant varieties that do not have particular commercial value, in order to avoid the theft of flowers by vandals.

The decent appearance of the grave is determined not only by the flowers, but also by the short, dense cover of grass. The variety of such grass also needs to be perennial and not demanding of constant watering. The plant should grow thickly, creating a nice green mat, and not require replanting every year.

Fresh flowers on the grave are a tribute to tradition, but what if, by the will of fate, you need to move to another city? And from now on you will be able to visit the graves of your loved ones no more than once a year, or even less often, due to being busy at work? Then the solution may be a bouquet of artificial flowers placed in a vase or a special granite stand. The tradition of making artificial flowers itself is long-standing; back in Ancient China they were made from gold and porcelain. Nowadays, they mainly use plastic and various fabrics.

In Europe, bringing artificial flowers to cemeteries is prohibited for environmental reasons. There are no such prohibitions in our country, but Orthodox Church disapproves of this kind of veneration of the dead. The priests say that only natural flowers are a real way of honoring the living soul of a person who has passed away. Only fresh flowers are supposed to be brought to the temple, and since prayers are offered at graves, these are also places of communication with God. Synthetic decorations are inappropriate on them.

What should believers do in this case? There is a way out - this is bouquets of dried flowers, inexpensive and environmentally friendly! They are made like this: a bouquet is made from cut flowers, the excess length of the stems is cut off and dried for two to three weeks in a dark, well-ventilated room. Then they are painted with aerosol paint from a can. This way you will comply with the requirements of the church and will not leave the graves of your loved ones undecorated.

Thus, most of my worries about decorating the grave with flowers were in vain. There is a wide selection of plants that can be planted, and almost complete (limited only by the area of ​​the fence) freedom of their location.

Laying flowers on the grave of a deceased loved one is a tribute to memory, as well as a symbol of our love and grief.

Many people, especially young people, who naturally have little experience with such a terrible event as death, ask questions: ; Is it necessary to have an even number? Do I need to bring flowers for 40 days; and in general, on what dates should you bring them, what flowers can be placed and what not, etc. In our article we will try to answer all these questions.

It is believed that an even number of flowers means that one flower is intended for the deceased and the other for God. However, this tradition exists only in the territory former USSR. In Western and Eastern countries, they can put an odd number of flowers, and this will not be considered something inappropriate. By the way, now more and more of our compatriots consider the tradition of putting an even number of flowers on the grave as a sign of superstition and a relic of the past. To decorate bouquets, it is customary to use muted tones - white, red, dark red. In principle, there is no particular restriction; choose at your own discretion, but you should keep in mind that flowers in cheerful colors will look out of place in a cemetery. If you want to stick to traditions, then pay attention to the following:

1. Dark red roses are placed on the graves of people who have been victims of an accident. This color is a symbol of their blood, untimely spilled on the ground.
2. White chrysanthemums are considered a symbol of friendship, so they are placed among close friends.
3. Red carnations are the most popular arrangement at the funerals of prominent people, at official ceremonies held in memory of any tragic events, and they are also placed on the graves of people who were mentors to many and deserved honor and respect.

But if there is no desire, it is not necessary to adhere to these so-called rules. You can put whatever flowers you want that you think are most suitable for the deceased.

However, we should not forget that, wondering how to decorate the grave of a loved one, we can do harm environment. After all, the huge amount of plastic in cemeteries is not recycled in any way. It cannot be burned, because when burned, toxic substances are released into the atmosphere that negatively affect human health and can lead to many diseases. Also, plastic does not decompose in the soil, polluting it. Therefore, when improving graves, we advise you to give preference to their landscaping by planting flowers and shrubs.

What flowers should I plant in the cemetery?

For obvious reasons, unpretentious flowers that do not require special care and watering are chosen for planting in the cemetery. You should also not plant expensive flowers and shrubs, as they can simply be stolen. To decide what to plant, you first need to decide on the type of soil, because not all the flowers you like may suit your type, and for this reason they will disappear. It is also necessary to determine the illumination of the grave. Based on this, you can choose plants to your liking. The best option for planting in a cemetery would be perennials, such as rudbeckia, echinacea or calendula. They are unpretentious, can reproduce by self-seeding, and you do not have to plant seedlings every year, but simply thin out the shoots that have grown from the ground. Spring flowers - tulips, daffodils and irises - are also an excellent option. They tolerate drought well and do not require special care. They will delight you with their blooms in early spring, when everything around is gray and dull. The grave on Radonitsa will look especially beautiful. By the way, you don’t have to spend money on purchased flowers. These flowers grow in bunches, so to make the plantings look more beautiful, they need to be planted as close to each other as possible. Their only drawback is the relatively short flowering period. Carpet plants look very beautiful. They grow along the ground and look like real green carpet. Such plants include, for example, periwinkle, which is considered the most suitable for planting in a cemetery. However, one must keep in mind that it grows very strongly, and if not properly cared for, it can grow far beyond the boundaries of the grave. Another a good option is everyone's favorite chrysanthemum. They do not require special care, and they bloom for a truly long time. They are frost-hardy, so they do not need to be planted every spring. Geraniums are also popular. They look very beautiful thanks to them long flowering. There are a great variety of varieties and colors, and everyone will find the one that suits them best. Usually medium-sized varieties are planted so as not to obscure.

Although many people like the rose, which is considered the queen of flowers. Often there is a desire to decorate the grave of a loved one with a beautiful rose bush; this is not the most suitable flower to plant in a cemetery for several reasons. Firstly, the soil in most cemeteries is clayey, poor in minerals, and roses love loose soil that easily allows oxygen and moisture to pass through. Secondly, the rose needs to be fed, cared for, pruned and watered, so you will have to visit the cemetery often. Thirdly, it can simply be cut off by unscrupulous people, which will be very disappointing after the efforts you have made to make it bloom. However, if you have a strong desire and perhaps frequent visits to the grave, you can also plant a rose. Then the resting place of your loved one will be truly luxurious. You can also choose wildflowers for planting and decorating the grave. Their very name says that these flowers do not need a person at all, and they can grow perfectly well on their own. Salvias, marigolds and zinnias will help you decorate your grave with minimal input from you. If you don’t want to bother with flowers, you can also plant drought-resistant ornamental trees and shrubs. The only condition– they should not have a strong root structure, as this can damage the monument. You can choose juniper, thuja, aspen or decorative birch according to your taste. Evergreen trees – dwarf pines or spruces – also look great. They do not require your intervention in their development.

What flowers are placed on a man's grave?

It is customary for men to bring flowers in cold, restrained colors. These can be traditional - gladioli, dahlias, daffodils, callas, roses and, of course, carnations. As for color, most often it is dark red, burgundy or white. Scarlet roses are brought and placed on the grave of the beloved husband. You can also put compositions in blue or purple shades - hydrangeas, irises, cornflowers. Just don't bring pink flowers. They are more suitable for making a bouquet for a deceased woman.

What flowers are placed on a woman's grave?

The best choice of bouquet for a woman is dictated by her age. For young girls, delicate shades are suitable that emphasize her youth and innocence. You can choose pink roses, white lilies or purple violets. For older women, deeper shades are chosen for the grave. These can be roses, orchids, tulips, as well as any other flowers that the deceased loved during her lifetime. If you want to emphasize that the deceased had an active life position and led a vibrant lifestyle, it would be appropriate to bring one, which contains 2-3 rich shades. In conclusion, we can say that flowers are the most important attribute in a ritual procession, so you should know the basic rules for laying flowers to the grave so that your choice is not considered inappropriate and you do not get into trouble. We hope our article will help you understand and make the right choice.

When choosing plants for planting in a cemetery, you need to take into account that they are divided into three large groups.

Tall plants - trees and shrubs - are planted along the fence of the grave, and not on the site itself. They should not impede free passage to the site with the grave, interfere with neighboring sites, or create weeds.

Plants framing the monument itself on the grave must be very unpretentious, resistant to bad weather and look decent for as long as possible. Undemanding perennial plants with decorative foliage are chosen for this role.

And the third group of plants for the cemetery are unpretentious flowerbed annuals and ground cover plants. These are seasonal plants that are planted in the cemetery in the spring every year.

What to look for when choosing plants for a grave

Plants for landscaping burial sites should be undemanding to soil conditions. It must be flowering or decorative-leaved unpretentious plants“minimal care”: winter-hardy, drought-resistant - living quietly from rain to rain - or, for example, shade-tolerant, not particularly susceptible to diseases and pests, not requiring frequent division and replanting, special fertilizing and shelter for the winter.

“Vandal resistance” is still on the agenda, which means that the range of plants should be simple and accessible, without varietal delights.

Cemetery plants should provide long-lasting decorative value. It is necessary to take into account the effect that they produce not only during, but also before and after flowering. By the way, it is better to choose an assortment so that on traditional days of visiting the cemetery there will always be flowering plants at the grave.

Before planting trees and shrubs on a grave, you should definitely consult with the cemetery administration to find out if there are any restrictions (for example, on the height of the woody plants used).

What trees and shrubs can be planted in a cemetery?

They are decorative all season long, and most importantly - extremely unpretentious.

Aronia chokeberry

Deciduous shrub up to 3 m high. Decorative all season - it has whitish leaves and red shoots. But it is especially beautiful in September, when the leaves turn purple-red and black fruits ripen on the branches. Chokeberry blooms in late May - early June with white or pale pink flowers.

Very unpretentious, does well without watering and fertilizing. But it is important to take into account that over time it grows and the bush reaches 2 m in diameter. You can plant it near the fence.

Barberry ottawa

Very beautiful bush, valued for the bright color of its leaves. The shade depends on the variety, but in general they are all burgundy-violet. The height also depends on the variety - bushes can be from 1.5 to 3 m.

Unpretentious. Withstands frosts down to -35 °C. Grows on any type of soil. Drought-resistant and shade-tolerant. Rarely affected by pests. Tolerates polluted urban environments well. Quickly recovers from mechanical damage.

Barberry Thunberg

This shrub in cultivation is usually no higher than 1 m. It is valued for its bright leaves - they can be green, golden, red, purple with all shades.

Barberry thunberg is unpretentious. Varieties with red leaves love light, while those with green and yellow leaves can grow in the shade. Easily tolerates frost. Grows well without fertilizing or watering. You can plant it along the fence.

Periwinkle

An evergreen groundcover subshrub with long creeping shoots that can reach a length of 1 m. Periwinkle has very beautiful leathery dark green leaves, so it is decorative all season long until the snow. But it looks even more spectacular at the moment of flowering, when azure-blue, funnel-shaped flowers up to 2 cm in diameter rise above the bushes. Blooms from late April to mid-May.

There are varieties with red, pink, purple and white flowers, but they are less frost-hardy.

It is undemanding to lighting and can grow both in the scorching sun and in dense shade. Any soil is also suitable. In spring, it is useful to trim the bushes heavily, leaving a length of 6-8 cm. Otherwise, it will grow too much, because its creeping shoots take root easily.

Silver birch Tristis

It is interesting for its weeping openwork and spreading crown with thin, vertically hanging shoots. Tree 10-15 m high and 6-10 m in diameter.

Photophilous. It is undemanding to soil and moisture - it grows equally well in both dry and moist places. Drought resistant. Frost-resistant.

This birch is suitable for planting near a fence.

Common cherry

This fruit shrub is famous for its unpretentiousness, so it is ideal for planting in a cemetery. You can plant both tree-like cherries and bush forms.

Cherries are good for planting near a fence. And in order not to cut out the shoots every year, plant Shubinka or Vladimirskaya - they either do not produce shoots at all, or there is very little of it.

Rough elm Pendula

A tree up to 5 m high with a beautiful crown - it has a flat top and drooping branches. The leaves are large 15-20 cm, dark green, rough.

Light-loving, but can also grow in partial shade. Winter-hardy and unpretentious.

Suitable for planting near a fence.

Hydrangea

A shrub up to 3 m high. It blooms very beautifully - with white shields up to 15 cm in diameter. Moreover, it blooms for a very long time - from July to October.

Grows well in partial shade. Tolerates short-term drought. In open areas in winter, hydrangea may freeze slightly, but in the spring it quickly recovers. And if the cemetery is old, with an abundance of trees, then under their protection it will winter well. However, it must be planted away from large trees, because they take away moisture from it.

White Derain Elegantissima

A very spectacular shrub up to 3 m high and of the same diameter. Its branches are spreading, flexible, and beautifully intertwined. Young shoots are interestingly colored - olive- green. And closer to autumn they turn red and become burgundy-red.

This variety has very beautiful leaves - they are slightly wrinkled, gray-green with a wide white stripe. The flowers are white with a pink tint, collected in corymbs. And then the white fruits ripen.

The turf does not require maintenance. It tolerates frost well and does not get wet in melt water in the spring.

Red oak

Massive tree up to 25 m in height. Slender, with a dense crown. The leaves are thin, shiny, reddish when blooming, dark green in summer, and turn red again in the fall before falling.

Frost-resistant. Wind-resistant, not demanding on fertility - can withstand even acidic soils. Resistant to pests and diseases, including powdery mildew.

Prickly spruce Glauka

The tree is up to 15 m high. It differs from other spruce trees by long, protruding tetrahedral, very sharp needles, the color of which can vary from green, blue, or gray to almost white - this depends on the waxy coating on the young needles, the thickness of which varies in different forms of spruce. By winter, the plaque gradually disappears, and the crown changes its color to dark green, and the needles become stiffer.

Glauka spruce grows slowly, the annual growth is 30 cm in height and 15 cm in width.

Photophilous. Frost-resistant. Undemanding to soil and moisture.

Serbian spruce

A tree about 30 m high. This spruce is interesting because of its very narrow pyramidal crown, which is reminiscent of cypress trees.

Winter-hardy. Unpretentious to soil and climatic conditions.

Willow Weeping Gnome

A low tree up to 3.5-5 m high with a beautiful, weeping, spreading crown up to 5 m in diameter. Annual shoots are thin, long, the lower branches hang almost to the ground. In the first years of life it grows slowly.

The variety is photophilous. Any soil is suitable. Tolerates drought well. Resistant to pests and diseases,

Purple willow Nana

A small shrub up to 2 m high with a beautiful semi-circular shape. The leaves are silvery green.

Photophilous. Grows on any soil. This willow is drought-resistant. Tolerates urban conditions well.

Irga canadensis

Shrub or small tree up to 5 m high. Very beautiful throughout the season. The serviceberry also blooms beautifully, its buds are collected in flowing clusters of 5-12 pieces. The petals are snow-white or vanilla-cream.
It is unpretentious, grows on any soil, and is not afraid of even severe frosts.

Kalina Gordovina

This is a tree or shrub up to 6 m high. With very beautiful leaves - they are dark green above and whitish and pubescent below. It blooms spectacularly - at the beginning of summer the bush is covered with an abundance of creamy-white inflorescences. But it is even more interesting at the moment of ripening of the berries - in one brush they are of different colors: ceren and red.

Viburnum gordovina is not afraid of frost and tolerates drought and air pollution well.

Cinquefoil shrub

Shrub about 1 m high, with a dense crown. Most varieties with yellow flowers, but there are also white, pink, red, orange.

Photophilous, does not bloom in the shade. Drought resistant. Frost-resistant. Cinquefoil can grow on calcareous soils, but does not like compacted soils.

Chinese juniper

Good because it's decorative all year round: both in winter and in summer. This juniper has many varieties that differ in shape, size and color - there are green, blue, and golden, so you can create a whole composition from them. Compact forms can be planted inside the fence.

Frost-resistant. Drought resistant. Grows in any soil, but loves light.

Bladderwort viburnum

This is perhaps the most unpretentious among ornamental shrubs. He has many varieties with different colors leaves: green, golden, red, orange, purple.

Grows on any soil. Does without watering. Frost-resistant. Bladderwort can grow in the shade, but in the sun the color of the leaves is brighter.

Robinia pseudoacacia

People call it white acacia, but in fact it has nothing to do with acacia. Robinia is a fairly large tree, up to 25 m high. It grows very quickly. Blooms beautifully with white tassels.

Photophilous. Drought resistant. Grows on any soil.

In addition, common rowan, common lilac, spirea, western thuja and crown mock orange are well suited for the cemetery.

Perennial plants for planting in the cemetery

The list of them is quite extensive. All of them are unpretentious and grow without care.

• Astilbe
• Badany
• Periwinkle
• Colchicums
• Botanical tulips
• Buzulniki
• Monetary loosestrife

• Loosestrife point
• Volzhanki
• Dianthus grass
• Geraniums

When deciding which flowers to plant on a grave so that they bloom all summer, they are often based on the preferences of the deceased. If you can’t rely on this parameter, then rely on your taste, trusting your soul and heart. But the conditions of the cemetery make their own adjustments.

When choosing flowers to plant in a cemetery, you need to consider the following factors:

• the area where the grave is located (in the shade or in the sun);
• soil quality (chernozem, clay, sand);
• unpretentiousness of plants. Most of us visit the cemetery occasionally, so it is especially important to choose drought-resistant crops that grow without watering, relying only on rain.

It is better to plant in burial places simple plants, you should not spend money on outlandish, unusual, exotic flowers. Unfortunately, thefts from cemeteries are not at all impossible.

About the color of flowers

Eat unspoken rule that the grave should not look colorful. It’s better if everything is laconic and solemn. Give preference to discreet and touching options, adhere to measure and tact. But there are always exceptions, because a lot depends on whose grave it is.

If a very young man, girl or child who loved during his lifetime is buried bright colors, then cheerful, “cheerful” flower beds will emphasize the memory of him.

Emphasis on the monument

You can plant shrubs at the head of the monument, which will serve as a backdrop for the tombstone. Rowan, juniper, chokeberry, hydrangea, viburnum, cotoneaster, and white dogwood would be appropriate. Almost all of them are unpretentious in care. They always look decorative, thanks to beautiful leaves, flowers and fruits.

When choosing a shrub, keep in mind that its roots should not be widely growing, otherwise they may destroy a monument or grave. The plant should not block the view of the monument.

Perennial ground covers are traditionally planted on the grave itself. They cover the ground with a decorative carpet and reliably prevent the growth of weeds.

Flowers should be beautiful for a long time, before flowering, during flowering and after. Therefore, choose those that provide maximum decorative effect:

– evergreen with glossy dark green foliage, blooms with blue or purple flowers (see photo). For many peoples it is considered a memorial, symbolizing eternal memory. Unpretentious. Grows well in both shade and light. You just need to make sure that it doesn’t grow on other people’s graves.

The evergreen plant will cover the grave with a dense mat. It blooms twice during the summer, at the end of May–beginning of June, and then again in August–September. Flowers come in different colors (white, purple, red, pink). On fertile black soil they produce a lot of greenery, but few flowers. More suitable for poor dry soils. The flowers are small, but there are so many of them that during flowering the foliage is not visible behind them. Unpretentious to the soil, drought-resistant. They do not tolerate excess moisture well. Photophilous.

. Loves fertile soil, drought-resistant, does not like excess moisture. Valued for its beautiful, fluffy, silvery leaves. Its flowers are small and inconspicuous. Grows in height 20-60 cm.

Another hardy and undemanding fast-growing perennial. The foliage is very dense, blooms very luxuriantly, the flowers are white with a yellow throat. The plant can only be planted in the sun; it does not tolerate even partial shade.

Plant with evergreen leaves growing lush bushes up to 30 cm high. The width of the bush can be up to 1 m. It blooms profusely for about a month (April-May) with white flowers, behind which the greenery is practically invisible. Loves light, tolerates light partial shade.

Grows well in partial shade and will cover the soil under a bush or around a tree. Severe drought is poorly tolerated, but in a normal summer there is enough rainfall for it not to lose its decorative value. There is a sun-loving variety of survivor - Atropurpurea. Its leaves are greenish-brown and wrinkled. Covers the ground with a continuous carpet 10 cm high. It looks very noble in the sun. Peduncles with blue flowers grow up to 30 cm in height.

It is distinguished by increased endurance and unpretentiousness. There are many varieties of heather. The colors of the leaves are very different, from light green to brown. It looks especially attractive during flowering (July-August). But the flowers remain firmly on the stems for another couple of months, until late autumn, creating the impression flowering plant. Young heather seedlings require regular watering in hot weather until they take root well. It grows into a continuous carpet.

Grows well in sun and partial shade. It is not demanding on soil and watering.

- an evergreen plant with deep green leaves. Grows well in dense willow shade. Prefers fertile soil that retains moisture well.

- another forest dweller. It loves shade, can withstand light drought, but can die in constant sun.

There are a lot of varieties. Undemanding to soil. Well-lit areas or partial shade are preferable for them. Suppresses weeds by densely covering the ground.

(stone rose, hare cabbage). About 50 species of this plant are known, different sizes and colors. The young plant is not picky about the soil, tolerates drought well, and loves the sun. The following peculiarity has been noticed: under the scorching sun this plant will be a chic “stone rose”, but in the shade it loses its attractiveness and becomes an ordinary “bunny cabbage”.

(function). Among the numerous varieties, you can choose the height and color you need.

They love light, are undemanding to soil, and are resistant to drought.

The most famous variety is creeping thyme, popularly called thyme. Grows well on fertile soil, in partial shade or in the sun.

How to make a grave always blooming

Provide continuous flowering You can use seasonal flowers. They will create bright accents during their flowering and decorate graves, like bouquets of fresh flowers.

in spring bright accents Muscari, primroses, daffodils, and begonias will bloom. Peonies can also be planted in the cemetery. It is better for them to look for a place near the monument. Can act as a tapeworm tree peony. If you have the opportunity to plant and dig up bulbs in time, you can plant tulips and daffodils in the cemetery. Next, focus on flowers that bloom all summer.

They bloom for a long time in summer:

1. Poppies, they are considered symbols of sadness and grief, are very appropriate in a cemetery. You can choose perennial or annual varieties.
2. Delphinium. Give preference to dwarf varieties.
3. Daylilies. They bloom for a long time and are unpretentious. It is better to choose low-growing species.
4. Irises. They bloom in early summer. The varieties are striking in color and size of flowers. You can choose according to your taste, but remember that the simplest and most familiar ones will not attract the attention of thieves.
5. Marigold. They bloom from early summer until late autumn. Unpretentious to soil and watering.
6. Gatsania or african daisy. Blooms from June to October. The flowers are mostly warm colors. They withstand drought well.
7. Gomphrena spherical. In brightly lit locations it also blooms tirelessly; from June until almost frost it will be a bright spot among other greenery. Loves fertile, loose soil and is drought-resistant.
8. Carnation. One of the most unpretentious varieties to care for is Turkish clove. Dutch carnation has a long flowering period. These perennials love sunny areas and soil with sand or clay.

When deciding what plants to plant on a grave, walk around the cemetery and see what grows well in neighboring graves. It will immediately become clear which flowers are comfortable there, and for which the soil and terrain are suitable. Other people's graves may be an indicator in this case. Taking into account your own observations, draw conclusions and make decisions.

Our memory of the departed, memories of them are the most important thing that remains when a loved one is no longer around. For those who have passed away, it is probably no longer so important what the place where they rest looks like, but we, the living and the remembering, want this place, where we can think, remember, and sometimes tell them something, to be beautiful, well-groomed, cozy and pleasing to the eye.

Surely the spring cleaning of the graves is already behind us - last year's leaves, pine needles, branches have been removed, bushes have been trimmed and the equipment that has survived the winter has been checked.

But now the time has come when it is necessary to get serious about decorating the graves dear to our hearts. After all, we want this place to be beautiful all year round and not require weekly maintenance on our part.

The answer to the question of what to plant in a cemetery always depends on many factors. How close do we live to the cemetery and how often do we visit it? Are we the only people who care for graves? Where is the grave located - in a place open to the sun, on a hill, in a lowland, in a forest, etc. The choice of both design and plants to be planted often depends on the answers to questions.

So, let's try everything in order.

The grave is still fresh, but work is already waiting

For some time after the funeral, people are usually still acutely worried about the loss of a loved one, and often they are faced with such responsibilities for the first time. A sea of ​​questions appears, and the advice of friends seems illogical and contradictory.

Even those who are not at all religious are becoming interested in the traditions and rituals associated with cemeteries. In Latvia, it is most often customary to remove withered flowers from the grave after some time, bury the ribbons in the ground or lay them out on the grave mound, and cover the mound with fresh pine needles or flowers. If the family of the deceased is religious, then flowers and wreaths are not removed from the grave for 40 days.

It is believed that some time after the funeral the ground settles, so the monument is erected and the grave is landscaped most often a year later, next spring.

While the funeral bouquets are withering, you need to decide where the monument will be located, where and what perennial plants you will plant, where you will put the bench, whether there will be a reinforced and locked drawer for equipment, etc. It is advisable to immediately after the first harvest of wilted flowers (unless, of course, it is winter outside), bring black soil or a special substrate for cemeteries and place it in the place where we will plant the plants. Planning will simply help us decide for ourselves and understand how we want to see this place. While the earth settles, we can cover the imported black soil with coniferous branches to prevent it from being blown away by the wind.

Of course, the design is determined not only by taste and views on what the place of memory of our loved ones should be, but also by the location of the grave in certain conditions - shade, sun, humidity, frequency of visits. Many people would like to have green grass on their gravestones, but give up on this idea when they realize that it needs to be mowed regularly. And in many old, shaded cemeteries, almost nothing grows at all, so all that remains is to use stones, pebbles, sand, slabs, etc.

In addition, we remember that no matter how unpleasant, wild and offensive it may be, people steal from cemeteries...

Therefore, it is probably not worth planting large, expensive or rare plants, and it is also advisable to strengthen the tombstone, bench, and toolbox.

Briefly about planning and arrangement of the burial site

A cemetery site is like a garden containing memories of a person, so planning can be a very emotional moment filled with special mood. Whether such a garden will become ascetic, with only one grave, or a classic family burial, with several places, a bench, flower vases and candlesticks, depends on the taste of the one who arranges it.

Let's look again where our garden is. A hill, a depression, a coniferous or deciduous forest, a sunny or shaded place - all this determines the choice of materials and plants. To make it easy to care for, there are a few things you need to think about. For example, covering - if there are trees growing around the grave coniferous trees, then the falling needles will clog the pebbles, so we will choose a different coating (sand, slabs, etc.). If there is a dusty road nearby, the polished monument will soon lose beautiful view. If the soil is acidic, then you need to plant plants that love such soil. When choosing flowers, we take into account how often we can water them. These are just examples of what to look for.

You can just take a picture of a place in the cemetery and sketch out layout ideas on paper. This will immediately make it clearer.

The space between the graves is usually covered with sand or sand, less often with lawn, pebbles, crushed stone, and mulch. You don’t have to cover everything with material, but only place large slabs where we walk or make a path of smaller tiles. It is advisable to coordinate the material and color of the coating with the monument.

Color range

The choice of color is also important, but you don’t need to get carried away with the variety of colors. It is advisable to have one or two colors and some kind of accent. The background color is usually green; it is combined with gray, pink, and purple. White, yellow, and red are perfect for an accent. These colors will always look good against a dark background. In a sunny place, bright colors always stand out, and in a shaded place, light ones.

You can simply make a place of memory like a green lawn with a tombstone, a place for a candle and a flower vase. Then you won’t have to worry that something isn’t weeded, isn’t watered, or gets burned... thereby giving time that could be spent on caring for cemeteries to living loved ones to talk and remember events related to the deceased.

Plant selection

This is always the most difficult thing for me. And every year I want something new...

But here, as in any garden, you need to choose plants that match each other in color, texture, style, and size. For example, fragrant thyme grows in a sunny place and looks great with low coniferous bushes.

There is no place for capricious plants in a cemetery. Here you need to plant unpretentious plants that do not require special care and bloom at different times. You can look at what is growing on neighboring graves to understand how they look and feel in a given place. Let us remember that under pine trees the earth is acidic, and under deciduous trees it is alkaline.

Saxifragas (very drought-resistant) are most often planted on the graves themselves. awl-shaped phlox(they bloom for a long time and look like a beautiful carpet), as well as various summer flowers - begonias, marigolds, pansies, petunias and others.

Plants that form a bush, for example, saxifrage of various colors, are suitable for ornamental designs. Flowering annuals can be planted in a sunny location every spring.

Daisies and horned violets look beautiful and are quite unpretentious.

We plant in the spring, after frosts, choosing strong seedlings that have just begun to bloom. But we remember that annuals require watering in dry weather and also consume a lot of nutrients from the soil. Many flowers need to pinch off old flowers to bloom fully.

If the grave is not limited to a tombstone and is not accentuated, you can design it as a flowerbed with various plants, marking the path with separate stone slabs.

We plant plants in groups, several plants in a group, so as not to fragment the composition and so that each plant shows its beauty. A group of small flowers is formed by 5-9 plants, and a group of large flowers is formed by 3-7 plants. The taller ones are further away, in the background, and the low and small ones are in the foreground. Of larger plants, for example, rhododendrons and lilies will fill the air with a bitter aroma, and rowan and heather will evoke nostalgic thoughts. It is recommended to plant rose varieties that do not need to be covered in winter.

Solitaires- These are plants endowed with a special visual or philosophical meaning that are planted separately from the rest. Usually this is the main accent of the composition or an additional element.

Tapeworms can be trees, bushes or flowers. Usually choose plants with bright foliage, flowers, decorative trunk or shoots. The mood is determined by the shape, size or color of such a plant.

If you don’t want to bring fresh cut flowers every week, then instead of a vase you can install a wide and shallow flowerpot and plant flowers there. Spring-flowering ones are primroses, ericas, pansies; summer ones - all kinds of flowering annuals that your heart desires, and in autumn and winter heather and silvery cineraria look beautiful.

But we remember that a cemetery is not a place for collections, and all possible plants should not be present here.

It is necessary to take special care of the plants for at least the first month after planting - regularly water, weed and feed with fertilizers.

Beautiful and hardy plants

I will try to give a list of plants that can survive in conditions of irregular care. Of course, these are not all possible, but the most common. I will indicate the Latin names next to it so that, if necessary, you can look up what the plant is called in Latvian and choose exactly what you like.

1. For a sunny place:

• • Caragana frutex – bush caragana
  • Crataegus horrida – hawthorn
  • Ligustrum vulgare – privet
• • Thuja occidentalis “Globosa” – variety of Western thuja
  • Pentaphylloides fruticosa – bush cinquefoil
  • Berberis thunbergii – Barberry of Thunberg
• For plantings:
  • Calluna vulgaris – heather
  • Cotoneaster dammerii – Dammer's cotoneaster
  • Cotoneaster horizontalis - horizontal cotoneaster
  • Spiraea japonica - Japanese spirea
  • Weigela florida “Purpurea Nana” – weigela variety
  • Erica carnea – Erica variety
  • Juniperus Sabina – juniper variety
  • Juniperus communis – juniper
• Perennials:
  • Thymus – thyme
  • Hutchinsia alpina
  • Sedum - sedum
  • Phlox subulata – awl-shaped phlox
  • Astilbe - astilbe
  • Bergenia – bergenia
  • Sempervivum - young or stone rose or tenacious
  • Cerastшum biebersteinii
  • Dicentra eximia - dicentra
• Solitaires:
  • Chamaecyparis pisifera “Filifera Nana” – cypress variety
  • Hydrangea paniculata “Grandiflora” – hydrangea variety
  • Rosa - rose
  • Philadelphus – mock orange

2. For a partially shaded area:

• For trimmed hedges:
  • Cotoneaster lucidus
  • Ligustrum vulgare – privet
  • Buxus sempervirens – evergreen boxwood
  • Thuja occidentalis – Western thuja, different varieties
  • Ribes alpinum – alpine currant
  • Ribes aureum – golden currant
  • Taxus baccata – yew berry
  • Pinus mugo var. Pumilio – mountain pine
• For a free-growing hedge:
  • Thuja occidentalis “Salaspils” – variety of Western thuja
  • Chaemacyparis - cypress
• For plantings:
  • Calluna vulgaris – heather
  • Salix repens “Nitida” – willow variety
  • Vinca minor - small periwinkle
  • Juniperus - juniper
  • Thuja occidentalis “Danica” – variety of Western thuja
  • Thuja occidentalis “Aurea” – variety of Western thuja
  • Taxus baccata “Repandens” – yew berry
• Perennials:
  • Bellis perennis – perennial daisy
  • Bergenia – bergenia
  • Geranium sanguineum – blood red geranium
  • Primula - primrose
  • Stachys byzantina – chist
  • Hosta – hosta (but snails love it)
  • Saxifraga x arendsii – saxifrage
• Solitaires:
  • Hydrangea arborescens “Grandiflora” – hydrangea variety
  • Rhododendron - rhododendron

3. For a shady place:

• For trimmed hedges:
  • Thuja occidentalis – Western thuja
  • Ribes alpinum – alpine currant
  • Taxus baccata – yew berry
  • Chaemacyparis - cypress
• For plantings:
  • Hedera helix – ivy
  • Mahonia aguifolium – mahonia
  • Euonymus fortunei – euonymus
  • Vinca minor – periwinkle
  • Taxus baccata “Summergold” – yew berry variety
• Perennials:
  • Hosta - host
  • Asarum europaeum – European hoofweed
  • Saxifraga umbrosa – saxifrage
  • Viola odorata – fragrant violet
• Solitaires:
  • Larix deciduas “Pendula” – variety of hanging larch (or weeping)
  • Caragana arborescens “Pendula” – variety of drooping caragana
  • Betula pendula “Youngii” – silver birch variety
  • Salix caprea “Pendula” – a variety of hanging willow
  • Salix integra “Pendula” – hanging willow variety
  • Salix x sepulcralis “Chrysocoma” – hanging willow variety
  • Sorbus acuparia “Pendula” – variety of mountain ash
  • Fraxinus excelsior “Pendula” – a variety of common ash
  • Ulmus glabra “Camperdown” – mountain elm variety

And finally. What can be done to prevent thieves from destroying cemeteries? You can ask the local government to organize raids on a specific cemetery. In big cities, it is much more difficult to keep track of thieves. Therefore, if possible, you should try to avoid plants used in floral arrangements and bouquets. For example, plant varieties of Christmas trees with small branches that are not used in wreaths.

If you still want to plant some yew, boxwood, mahonia or rhododendron, you can try to attach the freshly planted root ball to pegs, rods or logs buried in the ground. This will help avoid theft "just passing by." It is also possible in the first couple of years, until the plant is properly strengthened and grows into the ground, to stain its leaves with paint of a dirty tone, which makes the plant look sick. After a few years, new foliage will hide these spots.

I hope my advice will help you create a garden for your departed loved ones, where you can come and remember all those times with bright thoughts, slight nostalgia and tenderness. good points connected with people dear to our hearts. Good luck!

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