Although nothing can completely ease the pain of the loss of a loved one or pet, creating your own garden memorial with personalized engraved stones can help a bit as you create a haven at home where you can honor their life and memories. Stones with your personalized engraving are often used as focal points in remembrance memorial gardens at home but there are different aspects to consider when planning a backyard memorial garden and before you order the engraved stones.
First, decide if you will only feature one larger rock or if you prefer to have several engraved stones. How can you decide? The following questions can help you to narrow it down. Will it be a memorial honoring one single person or pet, or, several? Do you want to make a garden around one focal point and area, or, do you want to line a pathway with multiple stones and plants along the way? Do you think you'd enjoy having one stone featuring the name and multiple aspects of the individual or pet, or, might you prefer having several stones featuring different words or phrases all remembering one person, dog, or cat? Clearly, there are a variety of alternatives when deciding on engraved stones and memorials for your garden, but don't get bogged down with this, as none of these is the "right" answer, it's just a matter of personal preference. Any one of these ideas can provide a beautiful memorial remembrance in your garden.
How much is in your budget for this memorial garden with engraved stones project? This is another factor you will need to consider in your planning. Although larger stones cost more, you can typically include more engraved words (even poems) on a larger engraved stone than on a smaller one. On the other hand, several small stones may fit the sentiments as well, just spread out over several separate stones, and perhaps at a similar or lower overall cost.
Other issues to think about when planning your memorial garden include whether or not to include other accents or decor, as well as plant and flower choices. For example, will you want to include additional features such as a sitting bench, a gazing ball, or personalized wind chimes in your memorial garden? Other decisions involve choosing the plants and flowers for your memorial garden. Find varieties that will be easy to maintain. However, also consider plants or flowers that particularly pleased your loved one or that are your own personal favorites.
Finally, some may want to try to choose the stone type or coloring of the stones. However, if you are selecting natural stones, you will probably find this is not usually feasible. This is because natural stones come in various colors, shapes, and sizes, and every one is unique. Natural river stones, for example, come in their own special colors and with natural imperfections and "flaws" crafted by nature. So, it appears, the color and shape of the stone may best be left up to nature and destiny. Ultimately, as long as the engraving and sentiment says just what you want, your engraved stones and memorial garden will be just right and ready to touch the hearts of family and friends for years to come.
