You may have wondered whether there’s a difference between a cemetery and a graveyard. Some people use the words interchangeably, but the connotation is a bit different. And it can be summed up in a word: Care.
Sunken markers and patchy grass are not inevitable. Smart planning and design during construction can ensure that a cemetery is cared for and is efficient to care for—for decades to come.
Because we’re starting from scratch at Seven Stones, we’re able to implement the latest best practices in design and planning to create a beautiful Colorado cemetery that looks better with age, rather than worse. We’re thinking long-term as we’re laying the groundwork, anticipating issues and problems and designing around them. It’s exciting to be able to develop a botanical gardens cemetery where we can put our years of experience to work literally from the ground up.
And the ground is where we’re starting. Typically in cemetery construction, a crew will survey the area, divide it into burial plots and sow seed or roll out sod. But this can consume a tremendous amount of water and fertilizer—not just now, but forever. Without proper consideration of the climate, soil and turf varieties, this turf maintenance can be costly, time-consuming and hard on the environment, and not all cemeteries are able to keep it up in perpetuity.
At Seven Stones, however, we’re not only blessed with a rich sandy loam, but we’ve removed 24 inches of soil in our lawn areas and blended it with an organic mix so that our grass can sink its roots down deep, rather than trying to push through clay. This will improve our turf health and lead to less water and fertilizer use—not just now, but forever.
Preparing for soil conditioning at Seven Stones cemetery
After soil conditioning with an organic blend at Seven Stones cemetery
We’re also choosing our plants mindfully, selecting those that thrive in our Colorado climate and adapt in our soil, rather than imposing plants that require a high level of care and maintenance.
As we construct the different features at Seven Stones, we’ve also planned for the proper footings under walls and monuments so that nothing sinks or leans. We’ve worked closely with our structural engineer and designers to ensure long-term integrity with all of our improvements so that this space is just as welcoming and inspirational for generations to come.
The graveyards of the past are a challenge to maintain today…and many times they’re neglected and left to go wild. We feel so fortunate at Seven Stones to have the opportunity to create a beautiful Colorado cemetery that will remain beautiful not just now, but forever, starting with the very soil on which it’s planned. Come visit and see the work in progress!
