Which seeds for a funeral or memorial, and why
Four seeds suit a funeral or memorial packet: everlasting daisy, forget-me-not, Flanders poppy and English lavender. Everlasting daisy is an Australian native whose papery flowers keep their colour when dried. Forget-me-not self-sows, so it can come back in later years. The Flanders poppy is the flower of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, and English lavender is a perennial. All four can be sent to every Australian state.
Below is why each seed is chosen, how it grows, and what people write on the packet.
Everlasting daisy, for a service
Everlasting daisy, Xerochrysum bracteatum, is our suggestion for a funeral or memorial service. The flowers are papery and hold their colour when they are picked and dried, so the name does most of the explaining. It is Standard seed, included in the packet price.
Sow it in spring on the surface of a seed tray, in indirect light, and keep the mix moist. In warm conditions, 22 to 25 C, it usually comes up in two to three weeks. Grown on in full sun, it can flower from about ten weeks and reach about 1 m.
Forget-me-not, for a person or a pet
Forget-me-not, Myosotis sylvatica, has small flowers in blue, pink and white, and the name says what the packet is for. It is a hardy biennial that self-sows, so it can come back in later years without being sown again. It is Premium seed, 50 cents a packet more.
Because it self-sows, it can spread beyond the garden, and it has naturalised in parts of southern Australia. Grow it in a garden bed or a pot well away from bushland and waterways, pick off the spent flowers if you do not want it to spread, and check your council's weed advice if you live near bush.
Sow it in late summer and autumn, 3 mm deep. It usually comes up in two to three weeks at 18 to 22 C.
Flanders poppy, for days of remembrance
The Flanders poppy, Papaver rhoeas, is the red field poppy of the Western Front and the flower of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand. It is an annual that flowers the same year it is sown, with deep red single flowers on stems of about 60 cm. Sow it direct, where it is to flower; it looks best planted in a mass. Standard seed.
Because it is an annual, one of the ready-written remembrance lines suggests saving some seed at the end of the season to sow again the next year.
Lavender, for sympathy
English lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, is a perennial: given full sun and free-draining soil, it can keep flowering each summer for years after the service. Once settled it needs little care, which suits a sympathy gift that should not feel like a job. It is Premium seed, 50 cents a packet more.
Sow it from spring to early autumn. When it flowers, cut and dry the buds just before they open.
How each one grows
| Seed | When and how to sow | What to expect | Seed price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everlasting daisy | Spring, on the surface of a seed tray | Usually up in 2 to 3 weeks; can flower from about ten weeks; about 1 m in full sun | Standard, included |
| Forget-me-not | Late summer and autumn, 3 mm deep | Usually up in 2 to 3 weeks; self-sows, so it can return in later years | Premium, 50 cents more |
| Flanders poppy | Autumn or spring, direct where it is to flower | Flowers the same year it is sown; about 60 cm | Standard, included |
| Lavender | Spring to early autumn; full sun, free-draining soil | A perennial; cut and dry the buds just before they open | Premium, 50 cents more |
Every satchel is labelled with the variety, its botanical name and a short sowing note, and the back of the envelope carries growing notes where we have them. Western Australian and Tasmanian orders are inspected by the state on arrival and take about a week longer.
What to write on the packet
Most memorial packets carry three things on the front: the name, the dates and one line. Choose funerals and memorials in the designer and it opens with the Everlasting Daisy design (D-031) and three headlines: "In loving memory of [name]", "Remembering [name]" and "Something to grow for [name]".
More than 20 of our finished designs suit a funeral or a sympathy gift. A few of them:
- Dandelion (D-014), its seeds drifting away as butterflies above the name and dates.
- Forget-me-not Plate (D-004), a single watercolour sprig set like a botanical print.
- Lavender Wreath (D-003), with your words inside a watercolour wreath.
- Paw Print (D-015), a paw with wings and forget-me-not stems, for a pet.
- Flanders Poppy (D-030), a red poppy for Remembrance Day and other services of remembrance.
Forget-me-not Plate comes only with forget-me-not seed, Lavender Wreath only with lavender and Flanders Poppy only with Flanders poppy; Dandelion and Paw Print take any of the four. The designer shows which seeds each design takes.
The ready-written lines follow a few rules. They do not use euphemisms, and they do not tell the reader how to feel or hurry them. Some carry the person's or the animal's name; others thank the people who came. A few of them:
- "Thank you for being with us today."
- "Plant them when you are ready; there is no hurry."
- "For [pet's name], who was loved by everyone who met them."
- "A Flanders poppy for your garden, from [organisation]."
A blank message is always an option. The back of the envelope carries the seed and its botanical name, growing notes where we have them, such as this one for everlasting daisy: "Sow in spring, on the surface, in full sun. Flowers from about ten weeks.", and a line of your own if you want one. A short line saying Happy Valley Seeds packed the seed, with a small QR code to our website, sits at the foot, or on the flap if you would rather keep the back for your words.
We print from your approved proof, at 90 x 145 mm, so check the name and the dates twice before you approve it. To see the printing first, a sample pack of five envelopes printed with your design is $15, postage included.
When to order for a funeral or service
The minimum is 50 packets of one design, and an order can hold up to three designs of 50 or more each. In colour with Standard seed the packets are $3.49 each from 50 and $2.99 from 100, GST included, and forget-me-not and lavender are 50 cents a packet more. So 80 packets of everlasting daisy cost $279.20, or $293.15 with standard postage to any state; with forget-me-not or lavender the same 80 cost $333.15 delivered.
Up to 250 packets leave us within 1 to 3 business days of your approved proof and payment, depending on the time of year; an order paid before 12 pm Sydney time on a business day counts from that day. Delivery by Australia Post is on top. Western Australian and Tasmanian orders take about a week longer for the state seed inspection, Western Australian orders are posted on Fridays, and we do not send Express Post to Western Australia.
Add the date of the service in the designer and it shows the dispatch window before you pay. We have no rush service, so if the date is close, email support@happyvalleyseeds.com.au before you order and we will tell you whether we can make it.
We keep your design for 90 days after dispatch, so a funeral home or vet practice can order the same packets again by emailing us the order number.
More on memorial seed packets, and on custom printed seed packets for every occasion.