Headstones With a Built-In Planter

For families who love to garden, a headstone with a built-in granite planter offers a permanent place for flowers — without digging into cemetery grass. It's a popular choice where planting beds aren't allowed but containers are.

Design options

• Planter base — the base itself is hollowed to hold soil.
• Side planters — granite boxes on each side of the headstone, like vases but wider.
• Front flower box — a low trough along the front of the base.
• Ledger planter — a planting area set into a full ledger; see ledger stones.

Drainage matters

Water that sits in a granite planter freezes and expands in winter. A good planter has:

• Drainage holes at the bottom.
• A sloped floor that directs water out.
• A removable liner for easy cleaning.

Without drainage, a planter can crack or stain the stone.

Best plants

Choose compact, tough plants that cope with sun and little water:

• Sedum and hens and chicks — almost no care.
• Dwarf geraniums and begonias — colour all summer.
• Miniature roses — for a rose lover.
• Evergreen boughs in winter.

See best low-maintenance plants for a grave.

Cemetery rules

Some cemeteries treat planters like vases and allow them freely; others limit size or require plants to be removed in autumn. Ask before you order, and see planting flowers on a grave.

Check your price

For a live estimate, design your memorial in the Design Studio and use Check Price, or request a quote for an itemised price.

Key Takeaways

• Built-in planters give a permanent place for flowers.
• Drainage holes are essential in cold climates.
• Compact, drought-tolerant plants work best.
• Check cemetery rules before ordering.

Next Step

See headstone vases and adding a vase to an existing headstone.