What is a Memory Garden?

The Memory Garden is a natural soil area for scattering the cremated ashes of your loved ones. The area is free to use for all church members. Families dig a small hole with our garden tools and then place the ashes into the earth and rake the area. There are no designated areas or markers for ashes and no containers used in the garden. And as much as we love our pets this is a garden just for people. Over time we add more earth and mix the soil regularly as part of ongoing care and upkeep of the Memory Garden.

There is a small patio area and bench, with a surrounding garden and chalice to help create a special gathering time for you and your family.

Jump to the Book a Scattering Event form

Creating your Scatter Gathering—some ideas for a special event

The Scattering of a loved one’s ashes is a special moment and with or without a Memorial Service there are simple ways to create a memorable event.

Are there stories to share? Poems or special readings? Is there music you want to play. Will one person or several take part in digging the earth and scattering the ashes?

Our chalice sculpture in the Memory Garden is designed to hold a small votive candle. You are welcome to use this as part of your celebration.

Download Making Your Scatter Event Special (PDF).

How to “do” a Scattering

We have garden tools for digging a hole and raking the earth. You have the option of preparing the soil in advance of the memorial event. Or dig the trench as a group and make this part of your ceremony.

You may select anywhere within the earth area of the Memory Garden. We do not scatter ashes amongst the flowers and plants that surround the Memory Garden.

The trench for the ashes should be about 8-10 inches deep and 12-15 inches long. Or much smaller if you are only using a small portion of ash to scatter.

We recommend holding the bag or box close to the earth as you gently pour the ashes along the trenched area so as to prevent ashes from blowing in the breeze. Then use the shovel or rake to spread earth over the area. You are welcome to leave flower petals on the surface but please do not leave whole flowers, stems or anything else in the Memory Garden. When planning or booking your scatter gathering, we can provide garden tools for your use if desired.

Please consider a donation to the Memory Garden

There is no charge for church members to use the Memory Garden. If there is a memorial service or event planned there may be some costs, and this may be reviewed with the Rental Coordinator.

We recognize there are often significant costs involved for the interment of ashes at other public or private locations. In lieu of this, we ask families to please consider making a donation to our Memorial Fund in the range of $200-$300.  Donations help with the ongoing care and upkeep of the Memory Garden and creation of new memorial projects that are part of the larger property development plan approved by our congregation.

Special Commemorative Bricks in our Memory Garden

In our Memory Garden we have a few special engraved bricks honouring our Principles and some important people in our history.

• Our Principles have been shortened to a few key words that are especially significant. To learn more please visit Our Principles.
• We honour Bjorn and Jennie who were the first ministers of our congregations in 1891. Please read about their love story and Unitarian ministry.
• We also honour Magnus J. Skaptason who was the second minister of our congregation and a prolific author and poet. We have included a small section of one of poems in our Memory Garden. You can learn more about Magnus and the rogue sermon that launched a congregation.

“May hope never die, but blossom brighter and brighter every day.

Truth, love and faithfulness be the watchwords to call us to nobler thoughts and nobler lives.”

~ Magnus J. Skaptason

• Margret J Benedictsson is honoured for her leadership work and helping women to obtain vote. She was a key community leader before Nellie McClung even started and you can learn more about Margaret here.
• And Katy Simons (1911-2005) is honoured for a more contemporary heroism as a youth activist in her homeland of the Netherlands during World War II. Katy was a long time active member of our community and recognized for the Righteous Amongst the Nations Award from the Israeli government for her support and activism. More on Katy’s story can be found here.

Booking a scattering event at the Memory Garden

For more information about booking your scattering event at the Memory Garden, please contact our Rental Events Team by filling in the form, below. Items with a star (*) are required.

Memory Garden Guide

Here is a Memory Garden Guide (PDF) for easy reference.