Memorial trees are a peaceful and environmentally friendly option to create a lasting personal memory that can grow and mature over many years.

Muscliff Arboretum by the River Stour is the main memorial tree location in the Bournemouth area. The arboretum is home to an interesting selection of trees from around the world including Monkey Puzzle, Eucalyptus and Silver Maple.

Our award-winning parks and gardens are also popular locations for memorial trees.

There are a few restrictions on where we can plant trees, depending on the location and species. We do not offer commemorative trees in cemeteries, but we can help you find an alternative location.

Type of tree you can choose

As we keep to species that are in line with our management plans and landscape designs, the species and type of tree you can choose depends on the location.

When trees can be planted

Trees should only be planted at certain times of year, depending on their species. Most trees should be planted between October and March.

If you want to be there when your tree is planted

When you buy your tree, please let us know if you'd like to be present when it's planted and we can arrange this with you.

Remember the location

We have a tree recording system in place and yours will be logged as a memorial tree. When we plant the tree, we’ll send you a certificate confirming its full details, including map coordinates.

Cost

The price depends on the species, size and location. Our bereavement services team will be happy to discuss the options and prices.

Tree ownership and maintenance

We retain ownership of the tree. As a council we have what is called liability of the asset, so your tree will be maintained by our park services team if it’s on land accessible to the public.

The tree will not be removed for a minimum period of ten years. During that period, the tree is recorded as a commemorative tree, linked to your details.

Wherever possible we intend to keep the trees for their entire lifetime and hope that your tree remains in place for many years. However, this cannot be guaranteed.

Sadly, trees fail because of things like the weather or vandalism. If this happens, we’ll happily discuss replacing the tree, but this remains at our discretion. We look at each case individually and would always discuss any change in circumstances with you.

Contact us

If you’re interested in a memorial tree, please get in touch and we can work with you to find the best tree for your chosen location. Our tree experts will also and advise on the time of year the tree can be planted.

Email our bereavement services team at crematorium@bcpcouncil.gov.uk or reach us during normal office hours on 01202 128 111.

If you have any other questions, please email bereavementcare@bcpcouncil.gov.uk.