A grave planting is the last homage for relatives, but the care of the graves is often difficult when it comes to the deceased who were buried far away from their own place of residence. A permanent planting that is hardy is a low-maintenance and sustainable solution, as the plants do not have to be constantly replaced. In addition to ground covers, there are decorative perennials that are suitable for hardy grave planting and require little care.
Hardy grave planting
When choosing plants, the lighting conditions are the most important thing to consider. Graves along walls or large tombstones that provide longer shading should be taken into account when choosing the planting. This also applies to the opposite, because not every plant tolerates the blazing sun.
Choosing the wrong planting can result in stunted growth or withering if not watered properly.
In addition to the light, the climate is an important factor when choosing a permanent planting. Summer is very short in some regions, giving flowering perennials barely enough time to set flowers. Green plants or ornamental trees are much better suited here. In very warm regions there is often less rainfall, which is why the plants should have a certain resistance to drought.
prepare ground
The soil on graves is often a difficult substrate, especially if the hardy grave planting is permanent. Most of the time, the soil is poor and not very rich in nutrients, which is also very sandy, especially in fresh graves. Before even thinking about planting, the soil has to be prepared.
To do this, part of the old earth usually has to be removed. It can, for example, be disposed of in the cemetery's composting area or there is a separate place where the earth can be taken. Then new and nutrient-rich soil can be applied. Compost is ideal for this, or alternatively raised bed soil can be used.
tip: Commercial grave soil, which has a very dark hue, should be avoided for permanent planting. This soil can only store irrigation water very poorly, which means that the soil dries out quickly and frequent watering would be necessary.
perennials and flowering plants
Perennials and flowering plants that are hardy are not suitable for extensive grave planting, but they can create structure and loosen up an area with ground covers. Perennials should be predominantly slow-growing perennials, otherwise frequent pruning is necessary to control the plants and prevent them from overgrowing the grave.
The following perennials are suitable for grave planting:
- garden azalea
- hosts
- ferns
- daisy
- crying heart
- beard flower
- dwarf rose
The advantage of these plants is that they require very little maintenance. After flowering, the faded inflorescences are cut back. In some cases, such as daisies, there may be a second bloom, other perennials tend to put their strength into the leaves, such as hostas.
crying hearttip: Hostas are ideal for shady locations and, thanks to the variety of colors of their leaves, are a visual highlight on the grave even when they are not in bloom.
Low-maintenance ground cover
The bulk of the hardy grave planting will be groundcover, providing a closed surface. It is important that these are plant varieties that form a dense stock, because only then do weeds not stand a chance.
Ground covers usually require a little more care, but are still low in effort. The main care focuses on pruning the plants, as they tend to grow beyond the grave border. The advantage of ground covers is that they are very hardy, provided they are chosen appropriately for the location.
The following plants are suitable for sunny locations:
- thyme
- crawling bugle
- cat paw
- prickly nuts
- Sedum species
Sedum species in particular are ideal for very dry and sunny locations. They produce very beautiful flowers, especially in such extreme places. When the inflorescences have faded, it is usually not necessary to cut them, because they wither and within a few weeks the remains of the flowers are often no longer visible. In addition, Sedum species are rather slow-growing and do not tend to outgrow the grave border that quickly.
These ground covers are suitable for shady graves:
- fat man
- ivy
- elf flower
- creep spindle
The creeping spindle is a very easy-care ground cover, because the plant not only tolerates shade, but also very dry shaded locations. The ivy, on the other hand, is ideal for damp locations in the shade. However, it spreads very quickly and colonizes even the smallest cracks. It needs to be cut back at least once a year.
Prune shrubs regularly
Shrubs are often used to frame gravestones. However, the selection of trees is often not easy, because they harbor different risks. First and foremost, this means that they are only partially hardy on the grave, because the sensitive area of the root base on the trunk is usually only protected by the grave border. However, the earth there tends to freeze in severe winters, which often leads to the trees dying.
In the first few years after planting, the trees should therefore be protected from frost. It is already sufficient to cover them with some brushwood in the lower area.
The following trees and shrubs are suitable for planting on graves:
- yew
- fan maple
- Himalayan cedar
- Japanese holly
- dwarf pine
- juniper
- false cypress
When choosing a variety, you should always make sure that it is a slow-growing variety. Otherwise it can happen that within a few years there will be a tree on the grave, which then often has to be cut down at great expense.
Be careful with grasses
Grasses are often used as an accent in permanent planting. However, they can spread quickly and easily overgrow other ground covers, for example. Grasses are often very undemanding and also grow well in soil that has few nutrients. However, they are suitable as solitary plants, for example if areas on the grave are covered with gravel.
These grasses are suitable for hardy grave planting:
- pampas grass
- fescue species
- Pennisetum
- Chinese reed
- mahogany grass
When selecting grasses, as with woody plants, one must always pay attention to slow-growing varieties. Otherwise, some grasses can easily reach over a meter.
Flower bulbs in spring
A permanent planting that is hardy does not necessarily have to be visible all year round. Onions from different spring bloomers are often placed under the ground cover. These include, for example:
- tulips
- daffodils
- snowdrop
- crocus
- anemones
They transform graves into a colorful sea of flowers in early spring that hardly needs any care. After flowering, the bulbous plants move back in on their own. Only in a short period of time does the surface not look so nice. However, this is often not noticeable when used in combination with slightly taller ground covers. Dying plants usually disappear within a few weeks and can move in in peace and gather strength for the next year.
Insect-friendly permanent planting
Sustainable and insect-friendly planting is also becoming an increasingly important topic on graves. Cemeteries offer a wide range of options for designing sustainable living spaces, but these are rarely used or not used at all. An insect-friendly grave planting also has advantages, because it requires significantly less maintenance.
Insect-friendly planting is particularly useful for graves in a sunny and dry location. Many plants for insects are well adapted to dry locations and also develop very well on graves. These insect plants are suitable for graves:
- sage species
- lavender
- houseleek
- sedum
notice: When it comes to lavender, it is important to ensure that it is a winter-hardy variety. These are, for example, Lavandula angustifolia or Lavandula latifolia, both of which are very resistant to frost and snow.
New planting care
It can take several years for a permanent planting on a grave to form a closed vegetation. During this time, the open ground must be protected from weeds. This can happen in different ways. One way is to spread bark mulch between the plants. This has the property that it rots itself over time and thus brings new nutrients into the soil. The disadvantage, however, is that it often does not look particularly appealing after the first year.
An alternative is a layer of gravel mulch that prevents weed growth. The gravel is applied over a large area, but there should always be enough distance to the plants. The downside to gravel is that while it looks good as a mulch layer on bare soil for the first few years, it can cause problems such as the soil drying out quickly. Another problem is that the gravel has to be removed at some point because the plants have formed a closed surface themselves after a few years.