Memorials in parks - Print version

Memorialisation is an important and deeply personal way to remember a very special person, connecting generations long into the future. A memorial gives you a permanent place of reflection and comfort, where family and friends can remember a loved one for years to come.

We are able to consider memorial trees and benches in all parks, some with markers and plaques, depending on location. In War Memorial Park, special restrictions apply for trees where the deceased must have died in conflict.

We do have restrictions on localities, the type of memorial and the laying of tokens and flowers once the memorial is in place due to the varied nature and use of the sites we manage.

Unfortunately we do not allow members of the public to buy and plant their own trees on publicly owned sites.

We hope that you will be able to find a memorial that you feel is appropriate and that you feel comfortable with. Park Service staff can provide guidance on the site.

When will planting happen?

Planting can take place ‘by’ a specific date, but we may not always be able to accommodate ‘on’ a specific date, but we will do our best to accommodate family wishes. Park officers may not always be available to attend planting days. This is normally attended by the planting contractor and family.

The planting season is November to March exclusively each calendar year.

Types of memorial

Types of memorial, description and prices

Type of memorial	Typical Illustration	Price (depends on site) Restrictions apply and installation costs may vary.	Additional information
Formal Bench (general)		£1600	Wooden benches are not offered on most sites. War Memorial Park and Coombe Abbey Park: Maintenance included with cost. Replacement not included. Other sites: Maintenance and replacement not included with cost.
Formal Bench (War Memorial Park)		£2,285	War Memorial Park - Cast iron and wood slat bench. War Memorial Park: Maintenance included with cost. Replacement not included.
Tree		£450	Costs include watering for 12 months to help the tree establish and replacement costs if tree fails in first three years.
Tree and plaque		£810	Costs include watering for 12 months to help the tree establish and replacement costs if tree fails in first three years.
Tree, plaque and wood corral		£940	Costs include watering for 12 months to help the tree establish and replacement costs if tree fails in first three years. (Tree and wood corral, no plaque- £620) Corrals not suitable at all sites.

Regulations

Should you choose to go ahead with a memorial we ask that you observe the following guidelines.

• Do not leave anything that will not biodegrade such as offerings of coins, clothing, ribbons, balloons or jewellery at the site.
• Do not leave plastic flowers, notes, ornaments or physical structures at the site.
• Do not install fencing, surrounds, gravel or decorative stones at the site.
• Real flowers may be left at the time of placing or planting and at each subsequent annual anniversary if you wish, but please remove them after one to two weeks as they can impact on other visitors enjoying the site with their families. Flowers on site after two weeks will be removed by council staff.
• Flowers at memorial trees should be left at the base of the tree and not attached or tied to the tree in any way.
• Do not cut the grass around the base of the tree or prune the tree yourself.
• Do not plant any additional shrubs, annual flowers or plants at the base of the tree. Some appropriate flowering bulb species will be allowed upon request.
• Alternative memorial stone/plaque designs are not permitted.

Scattering ashes on Coventry City Council owned public spaces

The law on scattering ashes in the UK is fairly relaxed. You can scatter or bury ashes in your own garden if you wish. There is nothing explicit in the legislation to prevent people disposing of cremated ashes. Whilst the law may be on your side, the difficulty may come in gaining permission to scatter or bury ashes on someone else’s land. You should definitely have the landowner’s permission and certain places are off limits. We understand the importance of scattering a loved one’s ashes to celebrate and remember the life of, or mark the passing, of a loved one.

However, we ask that you observe the following guidelines.

• Please make sure you let us know where you wish to scatter your loved ones ashes, as land owner you do need our permission, we need a record of where this happens and have certain restrictions
• War Memorial Park has specific restrictions, please contact the park for advice on 024 7697 7770.
• We do allow the scattering of ashes in rivers, but not in still water bodies such as lakes and ponds. Environment Agency advice [http://www.scattering-ashes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/GEHO0306BKIK-e-e.pdf] (PDF)
• Cremation ashes can have serious impact upon the local environment. Some of our locations have plant species, which provide habitat for local wildlife and soil ecology which are very sensitive to human ashes which contain a lot of phosphate and calcium which may kill the tree roots and local habitat. Therefore we do not allow ashes to be scattered in any of our conservation sites, nature parks or wild areas or sites of Special Scientific Interest.
• Ashes may not be scattered directly into a tree planting hole as they may burn the roots of the tree and affect its health. They may be scattered around the tree after planting (please avoid clumping ashes).
• Do not leave anything that will not biodegrade such as offerings of coins, clothing or jewellery at the site.
• Do not leave plastic flowers, notes or physical structures at the site.
• Real flowers may be left at the time of scattering and at each subsequent annual anniversary if you wish, but please remove them after one to two weeks as they can impact on other visitors enjoying the site with their family. Flowers on site after two weeks will be removed by council staff.
• Do not cut or remove natural vegetation such as plants and trees.

For more advice or to notify us of your wish to scatter cremated ashes, please contact us.