Cemetery Urns and Vases

The terms vase and urn may or may not mean the same thing to you. The usual definitions though are as follows:-

cemetery vases tend to be holders for flowers or bouquets at the graveside. 

cemetery urns are actually used as urns for ashes - or cremains as they are known.

And these are the terms we will use while discussing various urns and vases on this site, though it is of course quite proper to discuss vases in terms of containers for creamated remains and urns as flower holders.

Cemetery flower holders

This is nothing to stop anyone leaving flowers loose on a grave - unless of course the cemetery rules and regulations stipulate otherwise (More on that lower down this page). But this can look untidy and are very unlikely to last as long. Water in a vase will obviously mean the flowers will stay looking fresher for much longer. Even if they don't look untidy to start with it won't be long before they are being blown across the burial site. And artificial or faux flowers can last almost indefinitely in this manner.

Apart from the practical side there is also the aesthetic point of view. A vase certainly looks in keeping and can be a memorial in itself. They can be decorated with photos or other pictures or inscribed with an epitaph, poetery or a person's name.

Cemetery vases can be purchased in many different styles and materials. Plastic is popular due to the reduced cost though materials such as marble give a certain elegance to the graveside. Bronze vases also popular for the same reason but unfortunately are extremely prone to theft. An ideal alternative today are the theft deterrent versions. These come in a whole variety of styles and appea exactly like bronze and all those other expensive materials. Yet any thief, upon picking one up, will quickly realise that it is made from plastic and so has minimal cost to it.

Vases can either stand loose, be part buried (in ground cemetery vases) or be attached to the gravestone in some way. In fact many headstones are actually manufactured with a flower holder attached.

Cemetery Urns

So as we have already siad above, a cemetery urn will hold the cremated remains of the deceased. This could of course be kept at home or even used as a carrying vessel prior to the scattering of the ashes. But as far as the cemetery version goes there tend to be two uses:-

A burial urn - also known as a funeral urn. This can be buried in place of a casket or coffin and is becoming more popular as does cremation. And with the increasing popularity of natural burials biodegradable cemeterty urns are being used. Many will have a seedling stored inside so that a tree, plant or bush eventually grows upon the site as a form of memorial.

A storage urn which is interred in a columbarium - literally a storage area for urns. This may be a public one within a cemetery or could be interred within a small, private mausoleum.

And don't forget that the urns we are discussing here are not necessarily a traditional urn shape. Many cemetery urns are actually boxes or other ornaments.

One last important point.........

Remember that cemeteries and other forms of burial ground are becoming increasingly stringent regarding their rules. It is very easy to overlook these - particularly when it comes to small ornamentaion such as cemetery vases and urns. But they can and will enforce thses rules if they think it is necessary so please do check with the correct authorities prior to purchase. Often this is for practical reasons. For instance a flower vase which is attached directly to a headstone can ease maintenance issues such as grass cutting around the graveside and throughout the cemetery as a whole.