The list goes on and on, but I bet you get the idea. I got a little extravagant--but I wanted to include my wife, my mom and dad, and my aunt and uncle. I bought a 30 foot flagpole, added the birthday gift I had given my wife when she was living--a real size, painted, concrete bear. Then I had a granite marker, almost the size of a headstone in a cemetery, and I had engraved the following words on the marker, “In loving memory of my wife, Bobbie Jean, my yellow rose of Texas, who affectionately named this land, Bobbie’s Mountain. And to my aunt and uncle, Edith and Vernon Thomson, who made my dream home come true. And to my parents, Amanda and Hank Erickson, who gave me life and love.” Then I planted a couple Japanese maple trees, a couple hydrangeas and rhododendrons, some bear grass and yellow roses with a crawling ground cover. It looks beautiful and I’m always right there to enjoy it. It gives me peace and comfort.

I wanted to include my aunt and uncle in my memorial garden, because we were very close and they left me a very generous inheritance to build my new dream home. Now I have the best of both worlds in my memorial garden. I am honoring my wife, my parents and my aunt and uncle--all in one beautiful memorial garden.

Now it’s your turn to get creative and find peace and tranquility in your life. After all, memorial gardens are divine.