What plants would be good for a memorial on a budget?

Question

My co-ed fraternity is creating a 9/11 memorial on our campus and have a unknown budget (to get approved it must be desgined first) and I am unsure what plants and other stuff would look good, be simbolic, and affordible. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Stick with perennials. It will be more cost-effective than having to re-plant annuals every year. First thing you will need to know are the growing conditions: sun v. shade, what type of soil? How much rain, etc? There are many online website and catalogs that break down plants into various categories to fit growing conditions.

Hostas are great for partial shade and can be purchased very inexpensively at garden centers. The Peace Lily is lovely and would make a nice statement. Traditionally, rosemary symbolizes remembrance and pansies are for thoughts. You and your frat-soror buddies can research plant meanings.

Spring Hill Gardens (on line or catalog) offers plans for different sizes and types of gardens. It shows diagrams and tells which plants you'll need.

Also consider added hard-scaping - rocks, paths, a small footbridge or fountain. A Japanese-style contemplation garden might be nice. You could add some benches for people to sit and reflect.

Some people here have suggested asking for donations. I can't imagine any garden center, nursery or farm that would refuse you such a request. Depending on where you are located, I'm sure there are people right here who would be happy to donate plants or divisions. (I certainly would)

This is a lovely thing that you are doing. Best of luck to you.

Answer 2

Ask for plant donations. Gardeners always have plants that need to be divided or are just popping up everywhere, and I bet you could get a lot of plant material for free.
And any plant is symbolic, really, if you think about the permenance of plants despite the changes through the seasons. Yellow roses are traditionally for remembrance, but any plant that will be admired and enjoyed can be a tribute.

Answer 3

Some of the most beautiful container plantings I have done were in groups of three...a trailing, a tall, and a round bushy type.

For symbolism, why not go for a red/white/blue arrangement...

Ideas for color:
Red: Geranium sanguineum-Bloodred cranesbill; Geraniums of different types come in red frequently.
White: Iberis sempervirens-Candytuft; Dendranthema x grandiflorum-Shasta daisy;
Blue: Aquilegia hybrids-Columbine 'Songbird'; Some delphiniums come in blue...

And then of course the green could come in as the symbol of continuing life...

Orange apparently is a color used meaningfully by Muslim countries, so you might avoid that color....

Answer 4

i'm so sorry on your loss! i imagine some thing like candles which contain her image. some prayers and per chance words from her associates, noted through the letting bypass of chinese language lanterns. Then to celebrate her existence the scattering of untamed flower seeds in an section the position they can come back up 3 hundred and sixty 5 days after 3 hundred and sixty 5 days. God bless.

Answer 5

how about yellow easter lillies? symbol and color of rebirth and hope. I'd also check around with your local florists for info and to see who has the best deals.
How about having the college paper and radio stations along with the local media doing a story on it? you could ask the people in your community for help and plant donations along with ideas.

Vin

Answer 6

Just a thought, but can you not go to a local nursery and ask them for a donation ? It is after all a worthy cause.
Good luck with this.

Answer 7

If you know people that have bulbs, you can ask for some of them. And or you can find some flowers that grow on the sides of roads that grow every year that you can get too.

Answer 8

Gardenias are perennial, have beautiful leaf color & wonderfully fragrant white blossoms.

Answer 9

carnations, can be dyed any color
cheap, long lasting