Pregnancy Loss Coping & Moving Forward Ideas for Memorial Garden Flowers for Your Baby By Elizabeth Czukas, RN, MSN facebook linkedin instagram Elizabeth Czukas is a writer who who has worked as an RN in high-risk obstetrics, antepartum care, and with women undergoing pregnancy loss. Learn about our editorial process Elizabeth Czukas, RN, MSN Fact checked by Fact checked by Sean Blackburn on May 19, 2020 linkedin Sean is a fact checker and researcher with experience in sociology and field research. Learn about our editorial process Sean Blackburn on May 19, 2020 Print J Broughton Photography/Moment/Getty Images If you're searching for a way to memorialize your baby after a miscarriage or stillbirth, planting a memorial garden can be a beautiful option. Creating the garden can be a way to work through your loss. When your garden blooms again in upcoming years, you may find comfort and hope in it. Choosing Flowers for Your Memorial Garden When it comes to selecting the flowers for your garden, there are several factors to consider. For example, you might consider the types of flowers that grow best in your region and the size of your memorial garden. Certain flowers seem to lend themselves to memorial gardens, such as bleeding heart, forget-me-not, and baby’s breath. The Meanings of Flowers Several cultures have assigned specific meanings to flowers, notably in Japanese tradition and in English Victorian tradition. These flowers with cultural meanings might be particularly appropriate for a child’s memorial garden. This list is by no means exhaustive but it can serve as a starting place to get you thinking about what flowers you'd like to include. Type of Flower or Plant Common Meaning or Significance Acacia Eternal Love Aloe Grief Alyssum Grace Amaranth Immortality, everlasting Anemone Resurrection Aster God's grace, love, blessings Baby's Breath Sweet, gentle, innocent Balm Sympathy Bellflower "Thinking of you” Black-Eyed Susan Encouragement Camellia Perfected Loveliness Columbine Gentleness Crocus Hope Cypress Mourning, sorrow Daffodil Resurrection Daisy Innocence Delphinium Devotion, blessings Ferns Peace, acceptance, grace, serenity, gentility, quietude Forget-Me-Nots Memories Fuchsia Harmony, healing for those who grieve, angels Geranium Comfort Gladioli Sincerity Heather Solitude Heliotrope Devotion Honeysuckle Devoted affection, bonds of love Impatiens Patience, steadfastness, loving-kindness Iris Inspiration Ivy Fidelity, endurance Jasmine Peace, goodwill, and healing Larkspur Beautiful spirit Lavender Devotion Lily Faith, grace, and spiritual healing Lily of the Valley Sweetness Lisianthus Calming Marigold Pain and grief Nasturtium Protection Olive Peace Pansies Gentle thoughts Peonies Thoughts of the past, memories Petunia Peace, harmony, serenity, uplifting of the body and soul Pink Rose Grace Poppies Eternal sleep, consolation Queen Anne’s Lace Femininity Red & White Rose Unity Tulips Faith, hope, and charity Verbena Peace Violets Shyness, humility, quiet joy, tender thoughts, gentle love Rosemary Remembrance Star of Bethlehem Hope Sweetpea Shyness, farewell Thyme Peace White Lilac Youthful innocence, memories White Lily Purity White Rose Purity White Tulip Forgiveness Birthday Month Flowers Each month of the year also has one or more flowers associated with it. Choosing the flower for your baby’s birth month, due month, or conception month is another option for choosing meaningful flowers for your memorial garden. Month Flower January Carnation February Iris, violet, primrose March Daffodil April Daisy May Lily of the valley June Rose July Larkspur, water lily, sweet pea, delphinium August Gladiolus September Aster, forget-me-not October Calendula (marigold) November Chrysanthemum December Holly, poinsettia Planting Your Favorite Flowers While symbolism can lend a hand in choosing flowers for your memorial garden, there are no hard and fast rules that you have to include a flower for its symbolic meaning or association with a certain month of the year. If you have a favorite flower and it makes you think about your baby in a happy way, then absolutely use the flower that feels right to you. If you prefer vibrant reds to the more traditional whites or violets, those are the colors that you should include in your memorial garden. If you have other children, you may plant a tree or flower for each of them to tend and watch grow, surrounded by the flowers that memorialize the child you lost. The most important thing to remember is that this should be a project that helps with your healing process. There are no "wrong" flowers to choose. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get diet and wellness tips delivered to your inbox. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Robinson GE. Dilemmas related to pregnancy loss. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2011;199(8):571-4. doi:10.1097/NMD.0b013e318225f31e