Cemetery planting is a special form of garden art. It is designed to provide a stylish yet calming ambience as the cemetery is a place of rest and remembrance. Cemetery plants are chosen for this reason, numerous species that are well suited for this purpose because of their importance and growth characteristics. Depending on the location, it is necessary to choose cemetery plants for cemetery planting that require little water to thrive.

cemetery planting

Sense of cemetery planting

Cemetery gardening is still a relatively young field of activity and only appeared in the mid-19th century, but has since developed into an important field. Nowadays, cemeteries are artistically planted with numerous flowers and plants of all kinds and are therefore presented in different colors in every season. For this purpose, plants are chosen, chosen primarily for their colors. These each have a different meaning.

stone cross in graveyard

blue

  • fidelity, perseverance

green

  • hope

red and pink

  • love, passion

yellow and orange

  • cheerfulness, warmth

Here, blue plants and flowers in particular overlap with cemetery plants in yellow and orange tones in their meaning. The colors are mainly used to align certain areas within the cemetery in such a way that they have a pleasantly calming effect and promote corresponding emotions. The colors of the plants are also combined with the current meaning that the cemetery plants internalize, for example white lilies, which are a traditional flower of the dead in Europe and express admiration for the deceased and stand for the immortality of the soul.

cemetery planting

Tip: Red roses are a sign of love even in the cemetery, since according to this principle love does not end after death.

cemetery plants

30 cemetery plants that require little water

The cemetery planting is not only selected according to the respective importance of the flowers and plants, but also according to the compatibility of weather and soil. Of course, trees, hedges and shrubs are usually less of a traditional meaning in the field of cemetery planting, this place is usually held by flowers. But these are part of every cemetery and ensure the typical character of the final resting place. Many of the species can even be used to care for urn graves. Many of the species form flowers, while others are mainly used for their growth. However, they have one thing in common: they require little water.

Plants from B to C

Bearskin Grass (bot. Festuca scoparia)

  • this grass is an extremely resistant plant that does not form attractive flowers, but has a relaxing effect
  • it prefers sunny locations and does without frequent water additions
Blue fescue, Festuca cinerea

Bergenia (bot. Bergenia)

  • these saxifrages are among the most popular cemetery plants due to their picturesque flowers and high tolerance to drought
  • they provide themselves with the necessary moisture for the most part
Bergenia, Bergenia

Ground cover roses (bot. pink)

  • there are many types and cultivars of groundcover roses that typically require relatively little moisture for this type of flower unless completely neglected
  • since these are roses, painterly projects can be achieved
groundcover roses

Christmas roses (bot. Helleborus niger)

  • Christmas roses are also known as snow roses because they bloom in winter. They don't need much moisture and prefer to stay in the shade
Christmas rose, snow rose, Helleborus niger

Plants from D to F

Sweet violet (bot. Viola odorata)

  • Due to its aromatic smell, this plant is a popular choice for planting in a cemetery and immediately catches the eye due to its intensive colouring
  • in itself, the sweet violet hardly needs any moisture outdoors, this is only essential immediately after planting
Sweet Violet, Viola odorata

Yew (bot. Taxus)

  • Yews are among the classics of cemetery planting and are available in a variety of different needle colors
  • since they are deep rooters, they require little water to survive
Columnar Yew, Taxus baccata Fastigiata

Elf flowers (bot. Epimedium)

  • Elf flowers need just the right amount of moisture, but not too much
  • Although the almost imaginative plants have to be watered regularly, but in small quantities
  • if this allowance is not exceeded, these cemetery plants will do extremely well
Elf Flower, Epimedium

Feather grasses (bot. Stipa)

  • feather grasses are robust ornamental grasses that do not require much moisture and are ideal as an element in the cemetery
feather grass

Stonecrop (bot. Sedum)

  • Poisonous and beautiful at the same time, sedum plants are perfect as cemetery plants due to their drought resistance
  • even longer periods of drought are no problem for the thick-leafed plants
  • Above all, care must be taken to ensure that there is no waterlogging, otherwise the plant will suffer visibly
Stonecrop, Sedum

feather pad (bot. Leptinella squalida)

  • this plant is often used to create larger carpets in a solid colour
  • the feather cushion withstands prolonged drought well, but like other cemetery plants, it should not be completely neglected
Pinnate pad, Leptinella squalida

Plants from G to I

Goose cress (bot. Arabis)

  • the goose cress is a plant that has attractive flowers that are presented on a green foliage dress
  • gets by with very little water and requires good drainage
goose cress, arabis

Cat's Paw (bot. Antennaria dioica)

  • at first glance rather inconspicuous, but the paws make a lot
  • they do not need much water, but like the feather pad, they must not be forgotten, especially after planting
Common cat's paw, Antennaria dioica

Thrift (bot. armeria)

  • Thrifts are perfect as cemetery plants, as they do not like waterlogging at all and do not need frequent watering
  • they also present themselves as painterly and elegant
Thrift, armeria

St. John's wort (bot. Hypericum calycinum)

  • these plants perfectly withstand long periods of drought and recover quite quickly after them
  • the typical thing about these cemetery plants are the yellow flowers with long stamens
John's wort, Hypericum perforatum

Evergreen honeysuckle (bot. Lonicera nitida)

  • grows as a dense, not too high hedge that has inconspicuous flowers but intense green leaves
  • the water requirement is very low, which makes them perfect as a cemetery plant
honeysuckle, honeysuckle, lonicera

Plants from J to L

Japanese maple (bot. Acer japonicum)

  • Compared to the native maple, the Japanese maple comes in many different colors that can be attractively integrated into the cemetery picture
  • although this is a flat-rooted plant that needs sufficient moisture, the necessary moisture is not as high as with other plants
Japanese maple, Acer japonicum 'Vitifolium'

Lesser periwinkle (bot. Vinca minor)

  • Due to the chosen location, it usually uses very little water
  • the flowers inspire with their white or blue blossoms, which stand out strongly against the leaves
Lesser periwinkle, Vinca minor

Creeping juniper (bot. Juniperus horizontalis)

  • the creeping juniper is one of the plants that need less and less moisture with age
  • This means that in the first few years it has to be watered more, but the adult plant can do well without watering
  • they even tolerate ball dryness and can be picked up again quickly if it has been too hot and dry over the summer months
  • the hardy species makes juniper so popular in cemetery gardening
Creeping juniper, Juniperus horizontalis

Pennisetum (bot. Pennisetum alopecuroides)

  • these plants need the right amount of moisture without being over-watered
Pennisetum alopecuroides, Pennisetum alopecuroides

Plants from N to P

Cloves (bot. Dianthus)

  • Carnations are true all-rounders in the garden and also in the cemetery
  • their numerous varieties in different colors and shapes provide breathtaking accents that display the cemetery planting in a uniquely artistic way
  • they tolerate drought extremely well and should not be over watered as they do not tolerate it at all
Carnations, Dianthus

Prairie whisker (bot. Andropogon scoparius)

  • As the name suggests, the prairie whisker can easily do without moisture
  • Dry periods are not a problem for the ornamental grass
Prairie whisker, Andropogon scoparius

Plants from S to T

Wild thyme (bot. Thymus serpyllum)

  • one of the most attractive Thyme species, also forming large carpets that make the plants particularly interesting to look at
  • Thyme does not need to be watered as it burrows deep into the ground and stores moisture there
Wild thyme, Thymus serpyllum

Sheep fescue (bot. Festuca ovina)

  • also a weed that needs the right amount of moisture to grow healthily
Sheep fescue, Festuca ovina

Snowdrop (bot. Galanthus nivalis)

  • with these beautiful flowers only the rain is needed for the water absorption
Snowdrop, Galanthus

Prickly Nuts (bot. Acaena)

  • There are numerous, beautiful varieties of prickly nuts, which do not have showy flowers, but do have dense branches at a low height
  • tolerates drought very well, but as a cemetery plant it must be watered regularly, albeit in moderation
Prickly Nuts, Copper Carpet, Acaena

Carpet chamomile (bot. Anthemis nobilis)

  • also known as scented chamomile. It also forms carpets, speckled with the white flowers that give off a lovely, fresh scent
  • too much watering should be avoided here as they prefer dry soil with little water
Carpet chamomile, Anthemis nobilis

Plants from W to Z

Woolly Ziest (bot. Stachys byzantina)

  • this furry growth stores moisture in the leaves and specifically the trichomes, severely limiting the amount of watering needed
  • the light color and the felty leaves immediately catch the eye and set a pleasant accent in the cemetery
Wollziest, Stachys byzantina

Dwarf Dahlia (bot. Dahlia)

  • these flowers are beautiful plants that are perfect as graveyard plants
  • its robust growth and its well-known dahlia form makes it one of the most popular plants in the field of cemetery planting
Dahlias, Dahlia hortensis

Dwarf pine (bot. Pinus mugo)

  • the dwarf pine is a plant that comes from East Asia and is very resistant to heat and drought
  • they don't need to be watered often, but the roots shouldn't dry out either
Dwarf Pine, Mountain Pine, Pinus mugo

Cotoneaster (bot. Cotoneaster)

  • grows flat and creeping up to a maximum of 15 cm in height, but the flowers that appear are a harmonious contrast to the light-colored leaves
  • although they require a little more water than other representatives on this list, regular watering is sufficient
Cotoneaster, Cotoneaster

Tip: Many of the species mentioned above can be attractively integrated into your own garden or placed as a container plant on the balcony or in the conservatory. Because of their hardiness, you won't need to water them too frequently during the hot summer months; natural rain is enough for many.

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Garden design