Information on how we maintain our green burial grounds
The main feature of burial grounds owned by Adam & Greenwood Funeral Home LLP is that they are ‘green’, that is, eco-friendly. Our policy is to increase tree planting and reinforce hedges around the entire area and to provide private areas for visitors; the benefits of an increase in the songbird and butterfly population being a welcome side effect. All trees and hedging plants used will be native species, rather than ‘garden varieties’.
Hedging is a vital habitat for birds and must be managed to ensure it is thick and healthy. The hedges will be trimmed at the end of winter, before the spring nesting season, allowing the birds to enjoy the berries and roost in the branches during the winter months.
Necessary tree pruning will be carried out in the dormant season, late winter. Our policy is to remove the lower branches of the young trees so as to encourage them to mature more quickly. Good woodland management may necessitate the selective thinning of trees, in order that the maximum number grow to healthy maturity. This will produce a natural-looking, vigorous wood over the years.
It is not our policy to burn woody prunings as this releases carbons into the atmosphere. We retain logs in heaps called ‘habitat piles’ to encourage insects and the birds that feed on them. Smaller prunings are chipped or shredded and added to these habitat piles. We will compost as much plant material as possible. Following a funeral or service at HGW we try to allow floral tributes, wreaths and other items to remain as long as possible but please be aware this is normally around 3 to 7 days. We do not use peat products and discourage their use by others.
So far as the grass is concerned, we will take an annual hay crop where possible, as removing the top growth has the effect of encouraging wild flowers. If we cannot take a hay crop, we will cut the grass once or twice a year. We favour this more natural look as it encourages the small creatures and birds, although we will maintain mown paths for visitor access.
Our policy on herbicides is to use them as sparingly as possible to remove the deep-rooted perennial weeds, bramble, docks, ragwort etc. In the established and planted wooded areas, we use wood chippings to encourage woodland bulbs.
We will ensure that all timber used on site for seats, burial caskets and similar comes from sustainable sources. No tropical hardwoods will be used.
Please note that our ground staff will provide a single small vase to hold cut flowers and we ask your assistance in maintaining a woodland appearance. We ask visitors to leave only sprays of flowers on graves and to take home all the wrappings and non-biodegradable items. If these are left, please be advised that we will remove and dispose of such items during our monthly grounds maintenance. The date of this maintenance is always published in advance on our noticeboard. If you have a special anniversary and have items that you wish to remain during this maintenance please contact the office and they will record the items and the details of your loved one. Please note that if the items have not been collected by yourself prior to the next maintenance then we will remove them for you.