Flower program freshens tombs, crypts year-round

Story By Beth Donze, Clarion Herald
Photos | COURTESY NEW ORLEANS CATHOLIC CEMETERIES

A special program offered by the New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries Office is eliminating the stresses of keeping a loved one’s grave brightened with a steady supply of fresh, seasonal flowers.

The office’s Fresh Flower Program offers several options for having flowers delivered directly to the tombs of those buried inside the 13 Catholic cemeteries operated by New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries:

• The family can have flowers delivered monthly.

• The family can arrange for delivery of flowers on four holidays or six holidays throughout the year.

• Single purchases of potted plants are offered at two special times of the year: a delivery of chrysanthemums on All Saints’ Day and poinsettias in the lead-up to Christmas.

“The families will let us know if they want our staff to put the flowers on the graves for them – that’s usually what they’ll (ask of us),” said Sherri Peppo, executive director of the New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries Office.

To enroll in the program, families must have their own vase on site – either a flower holder that is attached to their mausoleum crypt, or a vase with a granite, marble or cement base at their tomb.

“For the monthly or holiday flowers, we’ll put bouquets in their vase,” Peppo said.

Glass is not allowed in the cemeteries, Peppo warned, noting that families who do not have a suitable vase but who wish to enroll in the Fresh Flower Program can purchase a vase through the Cemeteries Office.

The only exceptions take place on All Saints’ Day and Christmas, for which only potted plants are available. Consequently, those families with mausoleum crypts cannot have potted plants delivered to their crypt on those two holidays, Peppo said. However, mausoleum owners who are enrolled in the monthly or holiday delivery programs will have a seasonal bouquet delivered to their crypts in observance of All Saints’ Day and Christmas.

Memorial tree plantings

Also adding greenery to the cemetery landscape are memorial trees available for planting in honor of a loved one – a service that is available at most of the Catholic cemeteries.

Throughout the year, except during the hot summer months, trees such as crape myrtle, saucer magnolia and savannah holly can be ordered and installed by Cemeteries staff at two price points: the tree only; and the tree with a bronze memorial marker.

Decorated with love

Jolts of Advent hope and Christmas cheer are coming soon to two cemeteries, courtesy of the New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries Office. Staffers will erect live Christmas trees at the entrances to St. Patrick Cemetery No. 3, 143 City Park Ave., and St. Louis Cemetery No. 3,  3421 Esplanade Ave.

Beginning Dec. 5, families with loved ones buried at any Catholic cemetery are invited to bring a weather-proof ornament – or a obtain a complimentary one from the offices of the two cemeteries – to hang on the trees in honor of their deceased loved one. Permanent ink markers will be available to personalize the ornaments.

The Christmas trees will be taken down at the end of December, so families wishing to retrieve their ornaments must do so before that time, Peppo said.

For more information, call the Cemeteries Office at 596-3050 or visit www.nolacatholiccemeteries.org. To learn more about the Fresh Flower Program, click on the “Planning” bar and choose “Family Services.” The “Memorialization” page has a link explaining the Fresh Flower Program.

Beth Donze can be reached at [email protected].