Creeping thyme. It looks nice, will grow well if planted into the grass and smells great after the occasional mowing ;-)

My parents' grave has perpetual care and we're not allowed to plant any bushes or perennials because they will interfere with the mowing. Also, as the site is on a mountaintop the sun is very intense and there is no water anywhere.

I solved the "prettying up" by planting plugs of creeping thyme into the grass over the grave during springtime which can be very cold and damp in the Upper Catskills, in a few weeks the thyme was spreading and flowered on and off throughout the growing season. By planting during a cool and wet period you should be able to eliminate most of the trips to the marker for any daily watering-in until the plants are established...if it's been very windy though overcast you still will want to bring up some water for the transplants. Wind, across the open plains of a cemetary, can dry out the soil surface faster than sun.

For a permanent display I made two wooden planters with silk flower arrangements. I sprayed these with polyester fixative to help retain the color and quality of the flowers. That worked out well as the arrangements only get sunfaded and wind-tattered after a few years out in the full sun and intense weather. These planters sit on the slab the headstone is on, one for Mom on the left and one for Pop on the right. Some people use caulking to affix the base of the planters to the slab but this is a small community graveyard and pilfering has never occured.

T

This is a problem at this gravesite as well.... they mow down and pull out anything close to the perimeter..... so I was thinking of planting a few plants someone in the family suggested putting a vase..... to hold flowres every now and again.... I think that's a good idea.....
I don't see why a grave can't be pretty..... Someone in my family suggested river rocks for most of the bed so the maintenace people won't disturb it..... I thought a few plants toward the center would be okay.... they'll probably leave them alonge....
I was thinking short lavenders...... so as not to obscure writing.... towards the back in a semi circle and armeria towards the front trimmed with wooly and golden thyme.....
Do you think these plants would survive here???? The rocks would make the spot even hotter by reflecting light...... :)
Perhaps I could add a very short euphorbia like polychroma..... :)

Lavender and armeria would be fine. Lambs ears would work well too...any of the white/grey/fuzzy/felty leaved herbs should be able to take that glaring sun. I found a link that will give you a nice list. It's a beginner's list but I like plants for beginners because that means they are hard to kill, lol.

T

Here is a link that might be useful: 47 Easy Plants for the Rock Garden

i would look into some praire plants - like prairie smoke - geum triflorum

Here is a link that might be useful: link to prairie nursery plant

Hi, I planted "early" daffodills, and riticulotus sp?
I have lemon thyme if there is a way to get it to you and if you want some. It is yellow green and grows about 3" hi. I really like it. There's also some creeping sedums.
Ajuga (bugleweed) is low to the grown and stays green here most of the winter. I'm not supposed to plant anything on graves either--mowing. But the small height, early bulbs (before mowing!) has worked so far. I also have some of that but that won't take full sun. E-mail me via this thread as my comp. won't take your e-mail. Eden

If they do not mow the center and you want evergreen how about Sedum and Semperviviums. You can get color they require no water and you get the benefit of color. They remind me of rosebuds. A very hardy plant.

Try here.
http://www.squawmountaingardens.com/

Also I saw this pot done with all Semps.

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Wow I wonder how they got it all mounded like that...... I wouldn't try a pot lest it got turned over but the semps are a good ideas...... I was also thinking of creeping thyme and lavender and sedum (maybe dragon's blood etc.) tricolor looks pretty...... I was also thinking of putting some armeria maritima...... What do you think? Should I mulch with stones or mulch? :) Would stones get hot? Would mulch (chips) get or keep the weeds down? Thanks. :)

The mound is easy, I did one for a present. I went to the dollar store and brought a wire fruit basket lined it with coir filled with soil and put the semps around. Maybe you could use it without the pot by securing the ball to the ground with a stake.

Since you are looking for "decent throughout the growing season" this is the plant. You would never need to clean up dead leaves. In our zone they are a very no care plant.

I like the dragons blood sedum and tri-color and stone is the way to go with the sedum and semps.

Check this site out it has some designs and suggestions

http://www.localaccess.com/blackcatnursery/

That's a cute idea the mound marquest..... :)