commemorative planting guidlines
COMMEMORATIVE PLANTING
planing at your loved one’s site can be a comforting way to connect to nature and hnore their memory. Your efforts also contribute to the overall health of our nature preserve, restoring biodiversity and supporting bees, birds and butterflies.
PLANT ONLY APPROVE PLANTS
The plants on the Ecological Advisory Committee Approved Plant List have been selected because they are native species, provide exellent and divers wildlife food and habitat, and becasue they can survive )and even benefit from) the moving process.
PLANT ONLY ON THE BURIAL MOUND
To protect young plantings from our mowers, plant only on the burial mound. You can further protect plants by placing orange landscape poles (which you can find next to the rain barrel at the cottage) at the four corners of the mound.
AVOID LARGE ROCK BORDERS
Large rocks can break our mower blades. Mowing is an important part of managing our 130 acre nature preserve. We mow the burial areas ( including over settled graves) and 1/3 of our total acreage between late September and late October. If you find large roks on your loved one’s site, please tuck them back into the earth or move them to our rock pile southwest of th cottage. It’s fine to leave thin flat rocks.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLANTS FOR YOUR LOVED ONE’S SITE
While there is no guarantee your plantings will survive, you can increase the odds by choosing the right plant for your site. The Ecological Advisory Committee has identified the light and moisture requirements for every Approved Plant. Know your loved one’s site and choose wisely.
TRANSPLANTING
Bringing a plant from a loved one’s garden to plant at theri site can be a wonderful thing! Beuase invasives (including the eggs of jumping worms) can travel in soil you must rinse the roots of plants you intend to transplant at Greensprings. (I.E. don’t bring any soil from home.)
PLANT IN THE SPRING OR FALL
May (and ven late April) and September (and sometimes into early October) are excellent times to plant. Mild temperatures and frequent rain mean your plantings have a better chance of staying hydrated and stress free.
USE OUR SUPPLIES
At the southeast corner of our cottage, you can fill up a atering jug from the rain barrel, grab orange landscape poles to mark the four corners of your recent planting and use our wheelbarrow to carry planting supplies.
PURCHASE PLANTS FROM A TRUSTED NURSERY
We recommend The Plantsmen Nursery in Groton. Owner, Dan Segal is a native plants expert. A copy of the approved plants list is at their nursery to help folks planting at Greensprings.
PRESERVING THE LAND
Greensprings covers 130 acres of rolling meadows spotted with evergreen groves.
WHY CHOOSE GREENSPRINGS?
Greensprings is certified by the Geen Burial Council and is part of a national movement.
SUSTAINING MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM
Greensprings Natural Cemetery Association manages the cemetery preserve.
MAKE A DONATION
Greensprings Natural Cemetery Association manages the cemetery preserve on revenue from site sales, burial fees, and donations. There are often unexpected costs that emerge throughout the year, and they can create large dips in our budget. Donations are not always consistent or large enough to ensure that Greensprings can grow and thrive. With your help of Sustaining members like you, we can ensure all of our expenses are helped covered.
