Herbal Funeral Flowers
Herbal Funeral Flowers
One of the biggest trends in the funeral planning industry is to find ways to combine the traditions we’ve all come to recognize with more earth-friendly memorial options. From cremation to direct burial, there are dozens of ways you can reduce the strain on the environment when a loved one dies.
Funeral flowers are part of this trend toward simpler, cleaner burial, and many families opt to have “in lieu of” donations made or to cut out the flowers altogether. Another option is to give potted plants or useful funeral bouquets—ones that show your sympathy but also provide a secondary service. Funeral flowers that are also herbs or fruit-bearing plants do just that.
Why Herbs?
Herbs tend to provide nice windowsill plants—they’re low-maintenance and pretty, and you can clip off a sprig when you’re in need of some fresh basil or oregano. They also tend to work well in any climate, provided you bring them in when the weather turns cold.
As sympathy gifts, herbs symbolize the circle of life. Because many of them are medicinal in nature, they are associated with healthy and longevity, and provide one of the basics of human life. If the deceased was a gardener, a chef, or a tea-drinker—or if they were simply fans of a particular scent—this kind of gift can provide continued comfort in the months following death.
Herbal Gifts and Their Uses
Depending on whether you’re going for scent, taste, looks, or a combination thereof, here are a few of the top herbal funeral flower gift options.
- Basil
- Oregano
- Mint
- Catnip
- Lemon Verbena
- Chamomile
- Lavender
- Chives
- Patchouli
- Cilantro
- Fennel
- Dill
- Rosemary
- Echinacea
- Aloe Vera
- Strawberry
- Ginger
- Valerian
How to Arrange an Herbal Sympathy Bouquet
Although many of these types of plants can be dried and stored for later use, they tend to work best as potted plants. Find a florist who sells herbal arrangements (often in a large pot) or who can fill a traditional funeral bouquet with fragrant options like lavender and chamomile.
You can also make these kinds of funeral bouquets yourself. Most plant nurseries sell these types of herbs year-round (especially if they have a substantial greenhouse), or you can look at specialty grocery stores that offer a large organic selection.
It might not be quite mainstream to offer a funeral plant that doubles as a kitchen ingredient, but there’s something comforting about a gift that keeps on giving. Fragrant, beautiful, and useful, herbal funeral flowers are a great way to provide sympathy without relying on cut flowers.
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