Memorial ideas in Crawley

When a loved one dies and chooses to have their ashes scattered, their family and friends may want to designate a space in their memory to visit instead of a grave. 

A memorial, such as a dedicated tree or bench, can be a meaningful way to remember your loved one. It can give you a spot to visit and think about your loved one in an area that was significant to them, such as the town where they grew up or their favourite spot in the park. 

In Crawley, there are a number of ways you can set up a memorial for your loved one, including their own tree, azalea shrub, or bluebell or daffodil bulbs planted in Tilgate Park’s azalea woodland.

Find your funeral director in Crawley who will help you arrange a cremation or burial, and give you ideas for a meaningful memorial.

Tilgate Park is a beloved location in Crawley, and many who live there would have fond memories of spending time at the park. Tilgate Park has a designated area where ashes can be scattered called the azalea woodland. There is a seating area for you to come to the park on significant dates to remember your loved one and a ‘Passage’ sculpture where engraved memorial plaques are mounted. The natural, tranquil setting is a great place to reflect on your loved one and the memories you have of spending time with them in the park.

However, you need permission to scatter ashes in Tilgate Park, and you can only scatter them in the azalea woodland. Tilgate Park also is home to the Barn, which can be rented out for your friends and family to come together and remember your loved one. 

A memorial plaque can be mounted on the ‘Passage’ sculpture, and the aftercare of the plaque for ten years is included. You can also have an engraved memorial plaque mounted on one of the oak posts along the memorial walk in the azalea woodland. The price of this type of memorial plaque also includes 10-year aftercare.

Remembrance trees are beautiful, poignant tributes to a loved one you have lost. As you watch it grow, you can think of the person who’s died, and it is a wonderful way to connect your loved one to nature, especially as the tree will grow and remain standing for decades and even centuries to come. Plus, planting a tree is an excellent, environmentally-friendly form of remembrance.

Planting trees to honour a loved one has existed in many cultures for centuries and gives you a peaceful place to come and remember your loved one. Planting a tree to remember your loved one in Tilgate Park not only provides a tranquil location for you and your family and friends to pay your respects, but it also helps to support the ecosystem and wildlife of the park. Even if you have not scattered the ashes of your loved one in the park, you can still plant a tree in their memory. 

You can also choose from a number of different trees and plant them in different areas throughout the park. You can also have a plaque mounted next to the tree. A remembrance tree costs £288 while a plaque placed next to the tree costs £450. Like the memorial plaques, the 10-year aftercare of the trees is included in the price. 

If you would rather not plant a tree, you could plant an azalea or other bulb instead and contribute to the colourful surroundings of the azalea woodland. You can choose to plant either a bluebell or a daffodil. Daffodils are one of the first flowers that appear in spring, signalling that winter is over. Daffodils also represent creativity, inspiration, and forgiveness. But they also represent inner reflection and contemplativeness too. Bluebells represent constancy and humility, expressing gratitude and eternal love. You can also plant an azalea or a shrub, with azaleas representing gentleness, love, and everlasting beauty. 

Planting an azalea or other shrub will cost £120 while planting a daffodil or bluebell bulb costs £30. This price includes one square metre of bulbs and aftercare for five years, while the price to plant an azalea or other shrub includes aftercare for 10 years.

To enquire about any of these memorial ideas in Tilgate’s Park, you can complete an online form on the Crawley council website.