Living Memorials
A tribute could be as simple as a single tree or as layered as a garden designed to attract birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. Whether your area is big or small, we can help you find a unique, personalized way to honor the memory of your loved one.
Spending time in and caring for a garden can bring a sense of solace, healing, and comfort. Seeing new life and growth in the face of the bleakness of loss can revive hope and lift the spirits. There are cycles and seasons in the garden, just as there are in our lives.
For many of us, our pets are family members and when we lose them, the sense of loss is so intense. We can help you make a special, dedicated place in the garden to remember your furry friends.
Living Memorials has grown out of one team member’s personal journey.
Here is her story:
The loss of my sister in 2019 left our family shocked and filled with grief. My history of working in hospice and geriatric care for almost two decades could not have prepared me for the experience of the sudden death of this loved, young family member. A lifelong gardener, I found comfort in planning and helping my family plant a garden in her memory. We designed around her already existing (and favorite) lilacs and another shrub that was a gift from a grandparent. We included many new plants and a dried gourd that I grew and we all signed on planting day. When we were done, my 10-year old nephew put a stepping stone into place and read the inscription on it. Then we planted an evergreen in the back yard where it is visible from most windows of my sister and brother-in-law’s home. We cried and laughed that day and most importantly created a living memorial. From our grief journey grew my desire to help others on a similar path.
Christa, Brunner’s team members and her sister, Bethany.
