Deciding what to do with your loved one’s ashes after cremation is a deeply personal choice. With cremations becoming increasingly popular in the UK, there are so many unique and wonderful ways in which you can honour your loved one. Nowadays, one in every 25 funerals arranged by Co-op are direct cremations. Yet, according […]
Deciding what to do with your loved one’s ashes after cremation is a deeply personal choice. With cremations becoming increasingly popular in the UK, there are so many unique and wonderful ways in which you can honour your loved one.
Nowadays, one in every 25 funerals arranged by Co-op are direct cremations. Yet, according to the Co-op’s Changing Face of Funerals report, one in ten (9%) of people who have arranged a cremation say that can’t decide what to do with their loved one’s ashes.
We’ve pulled together some of the most popular ideas, along with some heart-warming stories from members of the GreenAcres team, to inspire you to find the perfect memorial.
Memorial jewellery can help you feel close to your loved one. Enabling you to carry them with you wherever you go. Whether you choose a ring, bracelet, pendant, cufflinks or brooch, the ashes can be imprinted directly onto the jewellery or a resin gem, providing comfort through every stage of your life.
The multi-award winning Ashes Memorial Jewellery uses innovative technology to turn ashes into beautiful keepsake pieces. Similarly, EverWith Memorial Jewellery specialises in creating beautiful, bespoke keepsakes in memory of loved ones who have passed away.
Scattering a loved one’s ashes is one of the most common ways to say goodbye. 28% of people have them scattered at a crematorium, while 17% scatter them in a special landmark or beauty spot.
Some of the most popular ideas include scattering the ashes at sea or somewhere that meant a lot to your loved one. You can also have the ashes scattered from a plane where they can roam free forever more.
Many of our families have recently asked about Viking burials. While Viking burials are illegal in the UK, you can have ashes sent off to sea or on a lake in a Viking ship.
One of our recently bereaved widows is planning on buying a casket for her husband’s ashes. It gets taken out to sea on the outgoing tide and gradually dissolves, dispersing without the need to go out in a boat. That way, wherever his children end up in the world, they only have to go to the sea to be near to their dad.
One of our favourite ways of memorialising a loved one is a living memorial. By interring (burying) their ashes in nature, you create a lasting tribute – a place of remembrance that grows and changes with the seasons.
Our Living Memorial options provide a serene space where treasured memories can bloom. They offer the opportunity to create new rituals, reflect, and find comfort in the beauty of nature, ensuring your loved one’s legacy lives on.
At GreenAcres Living Memorial Parks, we have many options for you to choose from, including:
Set amidst natural beauty, a memorial within a Tree Circle serves as a heartfelt tribute to a life well lived. A Tree Circle offers a shared resting place, we have many beautiful Tree Circles available across our Parks, the picture above shows a Tree Circle in our woodland area in springtime, covered in a carpet of bluebells. Tree Circles can be found in our serene woodlands, open meadows, tranquil lawns and lush orchards. Each plot within a Tree Circle accommodates burials, ashes, or a combination of both.
One of our families chose a Tree Circle in our wildflower meadow, a perfect spot for their loved one:
“We chose a plot within a tree circle in Heatherley Park for our mum’s ashes, nestled in the wildflower meadow. She loved the sunshine – we always called her “the lizard” – and this spot is bathed in sunlight for most of the day.
It’s the perfect place to bring our children, her beloved grandchildren, to share stories about her and remember her wonderful ways. It feels like a peaceful sanctuary in nature, surrounded by wildlife, wildflowers, and beautiful trees – a place as full of life as she was.”
A living Memorial Tree is a natural memorial that will last for generations, dedicated exclusively to your family. Planted as a sapling (young tree) you will see them grow and flourish forevermore. An optional outdoor ceremony can also be held at the time of planting, adding a personal touch to this tribute. Living Memorial Trees are situated in our serene woodlands, open meadows, tranquil lawns and lush orchards. A Living Memorial Tree can accommodate ashes, burials, or a combination of both.
Bordered by natural logs or neatly trimmed hedges, a Living Memorial Bay serves as a timeless tribute to love and remembrance. Each bay offers a unique and dedicated space for families to connect with their loved ones. Set amidst our peaceful woodlands and open meadows, each bay is thoughtfully designed to blend with the surroundings. Embraced by gentle greenery, a Living Memorial Bay is ideal for those seeking a private space. Suitable for ashes, burials, or a combination of both.
When it comes to laying ashes to rest, nothing is off-limits. And every family’s story is unique. So much so, one of our families has chosen to keep in their knicker drawer!
“My mum used to iron all the underwear in the house and wouldn’t allow us to leave without clean, freshly ironed underwear. I felt my knicker drawer was the best place to keep Mum until I can let go of her. It’s somewhat of a tradition.”
You may have a place in the house that meant a lot to your loved one and reflects their life, allowing you to create a more personal tribute.
A tattoo using your loved one’s ashes in the ink is a wonderful way to keep them close to you forever. It may provide you both a visual reminder and a physical connection to them. The process is the same as getting a normal tattoo; only a small portion of the ashes are mixed with traditional ink
Only some of the ashes are used for the tattoo. So you still have the option to find the perfect resting place for your loved one with the remaining ashes. Creation Ink has a range of helpful blogs and advice if you’d like to learn more.
If you’re struggling to know what to do with your loved one’s ashes, you can pick multiple options to honour their life. One of our families has chosen to split her father-in-law’s ashes across a few of his favourite locations.
“My father-in-law was a keen fisherman, so half of his ashes are interred by the pond in GreenAcres, while the rest have been split into three – a paperweight containing a small amount of his ashes which is on my mother-in-law’s bookshelf, a miniature urn, which is in my brother-in-law’s fishing bag, and the rest in a floating water pillow placed in the river where he loved to go fishing!”
Many families take great comfort from laying their loved ones’ ashes to rest at a GreenAcres Living Memorial Park. Whatever you’re looking for, there are several options to choose from to create a lasting and personal tribute to the person you love, a special place in nature you will want to visit time and time again.
Talk to a member of our friendly and knowledgeable team to discuss all the available memorial options for ashes at our GreenAcres Living Memorial Parks.
