Pansy on a Headstone: Meaning

The pansy's name comes from the French pensée, meaning "thought". On a headstone it says, simply: you are in our thoughts.

What it means

History

Victorians gave pansies to say "think of me", and they appear on many 19th-century stones. Shakespeare's Ophelia says, "there is pansies, that's for thoughts" (Hamlet) — a line in the public domain that suits a memorial.

Design ideas

• A small cluster of pansies beside the name.
• Purple and yellow colour fill on black granite.
• Pansies around a portrait.
• Pair with forget-me-nots — see forget-me-not meaning.

Epitaphs

"Always in our thoughts", "Pansies for thoughts", "Forever remembered", "Thinking of you always".

Pansies for children and gardeners

Pansies have cheerful faces that children love, making them a sweet choice for a child's memorial or a grandparent who gardened with grandchildren. Hardy pansies also bloom in cool spring and autumn weather, so they make good real flowers for a grave planter in those seasons. A carved pansy on the stone with fresh pansies in the vase on visits is a simple, lovely pairing. See headstones with a built-in planter.

Pansies with portraits

A ring of small pansies around an oval portrait gives a soft, Victorian look. It suits grandmothers and gardeners especially well, and pairs nicely with a short line such as "Always in our thoughts". On black granite, light purple and yellow colour fill brings the flowers to life.

Key Takeaways

• Pansies mean remembrance and loving thoughts.
• The name comes from the French for thought.
• Shakespeare linked pansies with thoughts.
• Purple and yellow colour fill looks charming.

Next Step

See violet meaning.