A once beautiful landscape display becomes overgrown and unsightly….
We often plant shrubs to beautify our landscapes. Here at Woodlawn Memorial Park, many families have planted shrubs to add beauty to their loved ones’ final resting place. Historically, shrubs were permitted to be planted at most locations with an upright monument on lots of two graves or more, with their maintenance being the responsibility of the family.
We know they have always planted with good intentions and, while families visit regularly, gardens and shrubs benefit from regular maintenance. However, as the years pass and generations age, often what was once a beautiful landscaped display becomes overgrown and unsightly as it suffers from little or no upkeep.
Shrubs, even the dwarf variety, continue to grow, often engulfing the family monument and infringing on the neighbouring lot and interfering with nearby interments. It is at this point that shrubs in particular present a challenge for the cemetery.
When shrubs become unsightly to other families and visitors, complaints are registered at our office, and a decision has to be made by staff and management about removing the shrubs, often at the cemetery’s expense as we may not have current family contact information.
Many overgrown shrubs require the use of our large equipment, as proper removal includes removing the shrubs and their root ball. This is followed by repair to the landscape including soil replacement and top dressing with seed and peat moss.
Overgrown shrubs have become such a growing concern that the May 2017 issue of our cemetery bylaws were amended to no longer permit the planting of new shrubs. A full copy of our bylaws is available on our website here. Below is the paragraph taken from our bylaws which can be reference on page 18:
Shrubs
New shrubs will not be permitted to be planted on private Interment Right lots. Existing shrubs may not be higher than the monument or infringe on any burial space. Lot owners must provide maintenance or shrubs will be removed, as will any shrub that interferes with an interment. Removal is subject to a fee as outlined on the Flowerbed Pricelist.
If you require assistance to trim or remove a shrub, please contact our office and our staff would be happy to provide you with a quote to do so.
Woodlawn Memorial Park will continue to be a place of beauty and tranquility if we all work together to maintain the cemetery grounds for generations to come.
