How to Create a Veteran’s Memorial Garden.
How to create a Veteran’s Memorial Garden. If your loved one was in the military then you could design a garden for them that would both honor them and showcase their service in the military. You just have to find the right place and think through what would be both fitting to celebrate their life and beautiful in the space that you have set aside for the memorial garden.
3 Tips to create your veteran memorial garden:
1. Choosing the right location
Your veteran might have had a favorite spot in the garden. Or you might have an area that is not being used effectively. Perhaps you have a sunny spot that you would like to sit in when you think about your loved one.
The next step is to figure out how much space you want for your veteran’s memorial garden. You might wish to carry out a soil analysis to work out how much nitrogen is in the soil and it’s pH value. This will help you to work out what it will be possible to grow in that spot. How to test the soil in your garden.
Don’t worry if you have your heart set on a particular plant and the soil isn’t right. You can always purchase top-soil which is will work and dig into the existing soil. Remember to monitor and treat the soil to ensure that it remains good enough for your plant to thrive.
2. Planting
Now that you chosen the place to create your veteran’s memorial garden you can start thinking about form and color.
People often consider buying plants that are red, white, and blue for both American and British veteran’s. But don’t let those colors lock you in and steal your creativity. You might want to think about their favorite colour or to try and re-create a certain landscape.
We had a wonderful lady who built a beautiful rockery in her garden. Her husband had loved holidaying in the Austrian Alps. So she selected lots of alpine plants such as Pasque flowers and pinks. She used Aubrieta which is fantastic for creating a waterfall type cascade of petals. As she lived in the Cotswolds in England she used her local Cotswold stone. The stone is a warm yellow colour and acts as a brilliant backdrop to any planting regime.
But you can chose any stone you wish. A local stone to reduce costs and work with local plants. Or you might wish to consider stones that have a significance. We had a lady whose husband had been in the Welsh Fusiliers and she chose a welsh granite to commemorate his regiment.
Seasonal Planting
Lots of people try to create a garden where they can go and remember their loved one’s in all seasons so plant things that will blossom at different times of the year. Daffodils and crocuses are good for spring. There are lots of choice when it comes to summer plants, with roses, black-eyed Susan and Nasturtiums providing a blanket of color and size options. Fall is wonderful for pansies, hardy begonia’s and ornamental grasses. And even Winter provides color with hollies and hardy camellias.
Remember that the garden is a growing thing and will change along with your feelings as you navigate the bereavement journey. You can alter the planting to fit your feelings. The important thing is that you are outside remembering and they would have liked that.
3. Include a memorial tribute
As you are honoring a veteran, you might want to include a flag or reference their ensign, insignia or regiment’s colours. You could do this with your planting scheme. Or more simply you could add a flag or use a rock and paint the flag on it. Maybe you can put a little flag on a stick in the area that would resemble the country the served so well. You could include their dog tags if you have them and even consider a cross to represent them and their service.
We have lots of ideas for garden memorials that you can use as centrepieces or as discreet sundials or planters in the corner that will hold your loved one’s ashes securely in your garden. The other additional benefit is that if you ever have to move home you can bring them with you. We also have memorials that hold more than one set of adult ashes so you can also place beloved pets or even other family members ata later date if you wish.