Thursday, June 26, 2008

Green burial - more


I wrote here about my visit to a green burial site. Afterwards I talked to a couple of funeral directors, who made it clear that there would be no difficulty about a woodland burial, not even if I wanted to travel 100 miles or so to buried in another county, so I decided to sound out my children on the subject, since they would be doing the organising.


My son in Australia sent an entirely supportive reply, of which I simply must quote you the first paragraph. I should tell you that I headed my email: "Serious subject - please pay attention!" My son's response was headed: "SERIOUS RESPONSE!!!?????"


"Glad to understand what plans you have. Does the burial involve planting a tree on top of you so the full cycle of nature is complete – ashes to ashes, body to compost, nutrients to tree etc. This is what I had heard was available. If so I look forward to celebrating your contribution to bringing back the original ‘wild wood’ of England. Will the tree need fertilizing – I pee on our compost heap to help it get started but I’m not sure what the protocols are on doing this at burials. Perhaps you could advise?"

That's my son, bless him, he's always on my wavelength.



The Manneken Pis, famous Brussels landmark.

3 comments:

Helen said...

What a wonderful idea! I've never heard of such a place before. I loved your sons' reactions. Mine (sons) are going to have to get on a plane to UK (I'm in Oz) with my ashes under their arms and fling them about in a bluebell wood! (Little do they know!)

Avus said...

I, too, like the idea of these green burials in wickerwork coffins (we have a site near here) - although, on balance, I think I prefer the "fire". One's gases go freely into the air and one's ashes, too, can go free (like Helen's, into a Bluebell Wood)

Grant Watts said...

Hi thanks ffor posting this