Summary: All kinds of flowers are welcomed and cherished at a funeral to celebrate loved ones and send them on their way. We’ve compiled a few suggestions that might help you choose some special ones during your time of grief.
When someone we care for dies, it almost feels instinctual to bring flowers to their funeral. Funeral flowers are a symbol of the life cycle. Our desire to bring flowers represents our human inclination to send our loved ones to the great beyond with something lovely. We want to make sure those we love feel cared for after they pass—and we are not alone in this act.
For thousands of years, people all over the world have participated and carried on this beautiful burial tradition. One of the earliest known instances of funeral flowers was found in the Shanidar Caves, located in the Kurdistan region of Northern Iraq. In 1957, scientists found fossilized pollen and plant matter along with excavated remains of Neanderthals buried within the caves (from 60,000 years ago!), and hypothesized that the mountain flowers of the region must have been collected and used in the burial rites of these early people. This means even our oldest ancestors wanted to send their beloveds to the great beyond with the grace of the natural world to accompany them.
Today, our instincts are still the same. All kinds of flowers are welcomed and cherished at a natural burial to celebrate loved ones and send them on their way. Flowers can be an important part of many remembrance rituals. If you’re attending a funeral sometime soon and wondering what flowers to bring, here are a few suggestions of the types of flowers that might feel best:
1) The Deceased’s Favorite Flowers
When thinking about what kind of flowers are best to bring to a funeral, first you might want to take time to think back on important memories with the person: What flowers were their favorite? Which ones can you remember them stopping to smell on a walk? Or, what flowers did they always have resting on their kitchen table when you would stop by? The favorite flowers of your departed loved one are a great choice to bring to a funeral.
If you don’t know someone’s favorite flower, start with their favorite color! Did you often see them in a particular color? Did they have a favorite sports team? If you don’t know the favorite flower of the recently departed, start with a color and choose one from there. Bringing funeral flowers is a thoughtful way to say your final goodbyes. It is a way to give those you loved a bit more of the beauty they cherished during their time on Earth.
2) Seasonal Flowers
Seasonal flowers are another great choice to bring to a funeral. For instance, the bright colors of the Garden Mum, the Sunflower, and the Cone Flower stand out against the backdrop of gorgeous Autumn leaves. The deep purples and pinks of the Crocus and the Camelia pop underneath the stark gray skies of winter. You can always trust that seasonal flowers will feel like an elegant addition to a funeral because they belong to the same season. Most florists carry loose seasonal flowers as well as bouquets. These are all great options to bring to your loved one’s final resting place.
3) Native Species to the Region
Some types of flowers that appear at natural burials more than conventional burials are wildflowers that are already native to the region in which the funeral occurs. Because natural burial practices are designed to be highly local, native wildflowers are a wonderful addition to a graveside. Here in middle Tennessee, some of the most beautiful flowers in the state are native to the Southeast region, and many are incredibly easy to grow in your home garden. Bringing a handful of Goldenrod or a bushel of Aster might be the perfect way to honor your loved one, while promoting more wildflower growth in the plant’s native land. In turn, this becomes an act of care not only for someone you loved, but also for the land itself.
When visiting a conservation burial ground like Larkspur, be sure to avoid bringing flowers that have seeds or may possibly reproduce in the native landscape. Cut flowers of any kind are generally safe, but avoid dried or fresh exotics with seed pods or berries that can sprout and compete with our protected natives. If you’d like to learn more about natural burial, or important ways to remember and honor your loved one around a grave at Larkspur, please contact us! We’d love to speak with you about the many ways natural burial can be a unique and special experience for you and your family.