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In a time of grief after the passing of a loved one, cherishing the memories that we shared with them is comforting. A memorial garden allows families to pay tribute, offers a quiet place for them to grieve and reflect on times past, and often allows people to get the closure they need. There is no right or wrong way to create a memorial garden; it is about creating something that will evoke feelings of love towards the person you have lost. As memorial gardens can come in all sizes, and there are plenty of ways that you can add a special touch, from water features and flowers to seating and lighting. In a public cemetery, such as a church, there is one extra special touch that you can add: a columbarium.
Why Add a Columbarium?
In times gone by, there has been an increase in the number of cremations taking place due to the costs, simplicity, and sometimes even environmental concerns. Whether this was the choice of the deceased or family members organizing the funeral, the decision to have a cremation means there often isn’t a final quiet, resting place that friends and families can seek out when looking to reflect.
A columbarium can change this, allowing a place to display cinerary urns respectfully.
Choosing Your Columbarium
As a church or organization looking to offer this to their community, you need to make some crucial decisions about your columbarium. To help you, you should consider the following:
- Columbarium design
So that it can be utilized in as many memorial gardens as possible, Columbariums come in different designs, including:
- Circular Columbarium
- Angled Columbarium
- Columbarium Wall
- Surface Mount Walls
When choosing your columbarium design, you first need to think about the size you have in the memorial garden. For a smaller garden, a circular columbarium might be too big for the space you have. However, despite having limited space on the ground, you can still offer a columbarium for your visitors. Choose between a Columbarium Wall and a Surface Mount Wall. This will also minimize the need for landscaping changes.
- Where will your columbarium be installed?
If your memorial garden has trees, flowers, and water features that help create a peaceful and solemn environment, you should carefully consider your columbarium’s placement. A smaller columbarium would be beneficial, such as an angled columbarium, when you don’t want your landscaping altered but want the columbarium in the middle of the garden amongst your natural scenery. This offers a simple but stunning look and allows your grieving visitors to view the inscription on the plaque.
- Will you expand your columbariums?
If you plan to expand your columbariums, you should also factor this into your decision making. Do you have enough space to place multiple columbariums of the same design? If not, would you be open to having a combination of different columbariums? It might even be more prudent to install one larger design instead and make the essential landscaping changes.
- The faceplates
Finally, before you add your columbarium, you need to consider the faceplates and which type of stone would suit your garden. Think about your surroundings. If your church or building is a prominent feature, you could pick a stone that closely matches the building. If your garden has plenty of natural scenery, you might want the columbarium to stand out with a defined color, such as a respectful black. Alternatively, you could opt for a more natural color stone.