Guidance on How to Create Memorial Gardens at Home or at the Cemetery
For many years families have used boulders to commemorate a special spot in honor of a person that was very special to them. These cemetery memorial rocks offer a beautifully natural way to pay tribute to a special person or event. There are a variety of options for these rocks so that anyone can create a remembrance that is not only befitting the person it commemorates, but also looks beautiful in the setting in which it is placed. A special quote or saying of a special loved one can add a beautiful touch to these boulders that will carry a special message to future generations to come. Adding a special message can also help soothe a troubled heart, and bring comfort to anyone who needs it.
The small garden stones offer versatile yet affordable tributes that can be placed in just about any location. These rocks are cast of weather proof stone, and often have a hanger cast into the back, which makes them easy to display hanging, or which can also be used to further anchor the stone into the ground when using an additional pick. These rocks are decorated in a variety of different styles, from a simple butterfly, to an elegant scripture. There are also options to add your own personalization for a tributary stone. These are often also used as pet memorial markers, and many feature designs suitable for this specific need.
The medium sized boulders, or simply Memorial Garden Rocks, are perfect for dedications and have an added option of color of the stone. This option helps the boulder further blend into the landscape on which it is placed. These stones also feature a free bronze plaque, which can be personalized with up to five lines of text. While the rock does come with a free plaque, larger plaques are also available for an additional price, for those who need added personalization space. These rustic memorials create a beautiful and elegant way to remember a special place or person.
The Large Memorial Boulders make excellent large landscape features and also come with the option of color. These boulders create long lasting memorial tributes that are more substantial in size. The beautiful tones of these, as well as the smaller rocks will also darken or lighten slightly, depending on the climate of the area where it is placed. This variation in color gives the rock an even more natural effect, creating elegant striations and shadows throughout the boulder. These large boulders are perfect for placement in a park or even on a gravesite with the permission of the cemetery, as they create eye catching tributes that nearly everyone must stop and further inspect.
A single or companion urn compartment can be added to most of the rocks, for those who wish the create an outdoor memorial for a loved one. These compartments can also be utilized to save small keepsakes and mementoes. All of the memorial rocks are cast to simulate natural rocks and many cannot tell that the stone was not actually quarried from the Earth itself!
Quick Memorial Rocks Question and Answer Section:
How are the memorial rocks manufactured and shipped?
The rugged castings are hollow, approximately one-inch thick, and open at the bottom. They weigh between 70-100 lbs., even though they are exact replicas of rocks weighing 500-1,000 lbs. They are shipped via FedEx Ground in 350-lb. test, double-walled corrugated boxes using a foam-in-place packaging system.
How many years will the memorial rocks last?
Due to modern high-performance polymers and other scientifically-developed, construction-grade admixtures, these GFRC cast stone replications are designed to last for generations--even in freeze-thaw conditions--and typically wear in the same manner as, or superior to, natural rock. The memorial rocks are actually one of the few products that will look better with age as the elements (i.e., rain, sun and snow) give them an even more lifelike, weathered appearance with each passing year. While that is so, please keep in mind that the bronze plaque will eventually gain a natural patina over time - which is normal by bronze items.
Do the memorial rocks require special care?
The replicated rock memorials are made to last outdoors in a garden or landscaping for generations to come without any special maintenance or care, whether located in high humidity, extreme heat or freeze-thaw conditions. In fact, the stone material holds up about the same duration as monuments made from materials such as marble and granite. With that said, the bronze plaque will eventually gain a natural patina over time. It is recommended to clean the bronze with a mild soap and warm water solution from time to time (approximately 2 - 3 times a year) and seal it with a wax appropriate for bronze.
How are the memorial rocks colored?
Since detailed latex molds for the memorial rocks are tediously taken from actual rocks found in nature, our customers expect that the color process used for them match the realism of the replica castings.
Their demand for quality is met by skilled craftsmen who enhance the GFRC cast stone with permanent natural shades using a proprietary coloring process that requires no special maintenance in the future. (In fact, as previously mentioned, customers are usually pleased to learn the three basic colors of the memorial rocks will actually appear more lifelike over the years with the helpful affects of the natural elements such as the sun, snow and rain).
What choice of natural colors are available?
There are three natural colors from which to choose: Slate Gray (popular in the Midwest and East Coast areas of the United States), Sandstone and Red Rock. Examples of these colors are available elsewhere on the website. Please click here to view our colors.
Does each memorial rock come with an urn to hold cremated remains?
No, but for an additional charge, a customer can specifically request that a 250-cubic-inch, moisture-resistant internal receptacle for cremated remains be manufactured into the memorial rock being ordered. The thick, industrial-grade polyvinyl chloride urn and threaded cap are accessible from under each model and opened-closed by hand so the cremated remains can be placed in the urn container. (Simple instructions are included with each memorial rock shipped).
What if I need an urn to hold two individuals' cremated remains?
Make this request at the time of ordering and, for an additional charge, the internal moisture-resistant, 250-cubic-inch urn will be extended to double the size. Please note the double urn will further extend below the bottom of the memorial rock and will therefore require a small circular hole be excavated in the soil directly underneath where the rock is to be placed.
Can I add a Bronze Plaque to the Rock? Who would install it?
All memorial rocks come with a Free, handsome 5” x 7 ½” bronze plaque. You can choose up to 10 lines of text with as many as 46 characters per line (typically a name, date of birth-death, and special verse or quote). Although 10 lines are potentially available, it's not necessary that all lines be used if a customer prefers to have less text on the plaque.
Remember, the maximum number of characters per line is 46 (each letter, number, space and punctuation is a character that should be counted in this per-line total). The more characters and words on each line, the more the individual characters must be reduced in size to fit the final layout. More instructions for writing and submitting the epitaph for the plaque can be found under the section Epitaph.
Once the plaque is received from the bronze foundry (usually 15-20 business days), it is pre-installed by the manufacturer into a chiseled recess in the memorial rock before being shipped to its final destination.
Can I get help writing the epitaph on the bronze plaque?
Yes, we have a section ready for you here: Memorial Rock Eptiaphs
How many days before I receive my order and how will it be shipped?
Once your order is received, please allow 15-20 business days for production and pre-installation of the bronze plaque. Please allow 3-5 business days for shipping depending on the product’s final destination in the United States (longer if elsewhere).
Since they can weigh between 80-110 lbs., all memorial rocks are carefully packaged in 350-lb. test double-wall corrugated boxes using an industrial foam-in-place system to protect them during transit. They are then shipped via FedEx, which usually does not require that someone be home to sign for the package at the time of delivery.
How do I place the cremated remains inside the memorial rock?
Before placing the cremated remains inside the memorial rock, place it on a soft surface such as carpet, grass lawn, towels or other padding. (Please remember, neither we nor the manufacturer are responsible for any damage to the memorial rocks when customers unpack or place them).
The memorial rock should then be gently turned over to access the urn receptacle underneath it. Teflon Threaded Seal Tape that is shipped with memorial rocks ordered with an urn. The tape should be wrapped over itself on the threads located at the bottom of the cremation urn near the hollow opening four or five times in a clockwise direction (while looking at the opening). This will provide added protection against any moisture getting inside the urn.
Once the cremated remains have been placed inside the urn, the white threaded cap can be hand-tightened onto the urn. (Note: If a customer is concerned about complete security of the cremated remains, a tube of epoxy adhesive can be purchased in advance from a hardware or home improvement store and applied to the threads of the cap. This will make it nearly impossible to unscrew the cap again without uncommon and destructive force).
Depending on the memorial rock chosen, once the urn lid is tightened it is normal for it to extend out of the bottom of the memorial rock. To accommodate this, a small circular hole can be excavated directly underneath where it is going to be finally placed.
Should I worry about possible theft of the memorial rock?
Once customers see how realistic the memorial rocks look, they often agree it's unlikely anyone is going to bother with what appears to be an 800 lb. natural rock Moving an 800 lb. rock from a fenced backyard garden or lawn would require incredible effort.
However, whether they feel they need the additional security or not for the 80-110 lb. replicas, customers appreciate the fact each model includes a heavy-duty metal eye bolt manufactured underneath it for anti-theft purposes. To use this feature, customers should purchase four items from a local hardware or home improvement store:
1). An inexpensive key or combination lock,
2). A small sack of "just-add-water" quick-drying cement,
3). A five-gallon plastic bucket if they don't have one, and
4). A three-foot-long piece of sturdy 2/0 or 3/0 straight link chain (75 cents-$1 per foot).
Then dig a hole directly below where the memorial rock will be finally placed, use the lock to secure one end of the chain onto the metal eye bolt, mix the cement in a bucket, fill the hole with the cement slurry, push as much of the remaining length of chain into the cement, and rest the memorial rock over the hole where the chain can dry in the cement and serve as an anchor.
