Certain plants have specific meanings when they are found on
cemetery monuments. For some cemetery visitors, viewing many gravestones can be
a way to find solace. These gravestone viewers will most likely find out that
many of the cemetery monuments contain carvings of plants. Each plant
represents something different as explained in a previous blog. The September /
October 2000 edition
of Ancestry Magazine offers explanations to the meaning behind some of the most
common plants.
Morning glories, flowers that can, as their name suggests,
bloom in the morning are symbols for the “beginning of life.” When the tragedy
of a baby’s death occurs, a carving of a morning glory may be appropriate for
that baby’s gravestone.
Oak branches, leaves or acorns are often found on military
graves, according to the magazine. That is appropriate because their meaning
indicates, “power, authority, or victory.” In addition, this interpretation
makes sense, as oaks are sturdy trees.
Palm branches indicate, “victory and rejoicing.”
Poppies are flowers, which can be made into a dangerous drug
that may induce sleep. Perhaps that is why the magazine names their meaning an
“eternal sleep.”
Rosemary is one of the world’s finest, most expensive
spices. It offers a flavor and essence that is rarely forgotten. That can be associated
with the meaning of a carved rosemary leaf: “remembrance.” This is a beautiful
meaning as well as a great decoration for a monument.
Another plant that can mean “remembrance,” is a thistle. A
thistle, though, can have two meanings. Since it is a national symbol of
Scotland, a thistle may even indicate that the person buried under that
monument was from Scotland or was of Scottish descent.
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