If you are arranging a cremation funeral, you will need to decide what to do with your loved one’s ashes.
You may wish to keep them at home, either temporarily or permanently, or bury or scatter them on land or water. There are many options for retaining a small quantity of ashes in the form of memorial jewellery and keepsakes.
Whatever you decide, White Rose Modern Funerals can help you arrange and source the perfect option.
Options for ashes
Overview
After the cremation funeral, we will personally collect the ashes to you (unless you decide to have the ashes strewn at the Crematorium’s Garden of Remembrance) for you to collect from our office in Teddington – or we can arrange for a courier delivery.
The ashes will be in the original container as provided by the crematorium, however they can be transferred into an urn, casket or other type of container, as well as turned into jewellery and ashes keepsakes.
Examples of urns and ashes options are detailed in this section of our website – click the relevant buttons on this page. You can also place an order with us online.
Alongside the ashes, we will also provide the Certificate of Cremation which you will need if you are planning a burial of the ashes or wish to transport the ashes abroad.
For more information about ashes scattering ceremonies and products available, please call Nick or Jacqui at White Rose Modern Funerals on 020 3281 1045.
Scattering the ashes on land
Ashes may be scattered or strewn in many locations, including the crematorium’s Garden of Remembrance which is a dedicated memorial garden. Alternatively, there may be a particular scenic location that has a special meaning to you or your loved one or you can opt for a natural burial ground.
To scatter ashes on land, you don’t generally need a licence or permission – except for on private land, where you should obtain the landowners permission. For National Trust land or National Parks, you should seek the permission of the manager for that site.
When scattering ashes on land, it is advisable to either dig a small trench in which to pour the ashes or rake in the ashes to spread them evenly, especially on lawns. Transferring the ashes into a scattering tube will make it easier than using the original container.
Here are some examples that we can obtain for you:
Scattering tube
If you are scattering your loved one’s ashes, the most practical and easy to use option is an ashes scatter tube. We have selected the newest generation of scatter tubes – the Scatterpod – which makes scattering ashes easier.
They are made from recycled, biodegradable materials and can be recycled or composted after use. We carry this attractive Bluebell Woodland design in stock, however alternative and personalised designs are available (please enquire for pricing).
Set of scatter tubes – £50
- One set is made up of two tubes of sufficient size to take one full set of ashes
- This will be either two medium tubes (28cm tall x 11cm wide, capacity 2.3 cubic cm) or one medium and one small tube (11cm x 4cm wide, capacity 115 cubic cm) depending on the quantity of ashes
- Each tube has a removable lid and then a resealable opening which is opened when scattering
Other options for scattering on land
Danish Nature Urn
Made from corn starch, a material which hardens like a plastic but will completely decompose when buried. The easy screw-on lid allows this urn to be used for keeping at home before either scattering or burying.
£45
TOLAD
The TOLAD is a hiking staff filled with your loved one’s ashes. With each step, a small amount of ashes is released from the lower end of the staff, allowing you to scatter ashes gradually while taking a walk.
£110
Recycled paper
Moulded into a beautifully textured design, this environmentally friendly newspaper urn can be used to scatter ashes, as well as kept in the home or buried.
£25
Living Memorial
This is a kit that contains an organic mixture that can be combined with your loved one’s ashes to create a nourishing environment for planting a tree as a living memorial or simply burying ashes. For more details see the ‘Bury’ section on this page.
£115
Useful information about scattering of ashes can be found on the Scattering Ashes website.
Scattering the ashes on water
When scattering or casting ashes at sea, or on a river or lake, ensuring you stay well clear of bathing areas or marinas. It is easier and more private to scatter the ashes from onboard a boat than from the water’s edge. For example, on the Thames in Richmond and Twickenham we can arrange for use of Windrush, an elegant boat with room for 12 people from which to scatter ashes.
A good tip is to obtain a scattering tube or biodegradable water urn which can dissolve slowly when placed in water (see Limbo urn below).
Here are examples of suitable biodegradable, water soluble urns that we can obtain for you:
Aqua urn
These attractive biodegradable water urns will float briefly to allow a final farewell before gracefully sinking. The urn will then break down naturally over time, making them perfect for deep water burial.
Each urn includes a water-soluble plastic bag which dissolves on contact with water, allowing the cremated remains to be dispersed within minutes.
They are handmade using an ancient paper making technique using bark from the mulberry tree, which is harvested, leaving the tree alive and intact. After the bark is soaked, the resulting pulp is laid out on bamboo screens, often with floral material inlaid, and dried in the sun.
£50
Available in natural (beige) or blue
Other options for scattering on water
Danish Nature Urn
Made from corn starch, a material which hardens like a plastic but will completely decompose when buried and can be recycled. The easy screw-on lid allows this urn to be used for keeping at home before scattering.
£45
Natural urn
This biodegradable 100% water soluble urn is handcrafted from sand, a small amount of sea salt and bound together by plant extracts, designed to restore ashes to nature, whether in freshwater or the sea.
£140
Available in Quartz (light) or Sand (brown)
Water Bio Urn
100% biodegradable urn made of clay and a plant-based gelatin, suitable for an ashes water burial ceremony as it will dissolve completely in water. The ashes are contained in bag that will also disintegrate.
£130
Also available in crystal white
Wooden Longboat Urn
This 80cm long Viking longboat can be used for display during a ceremony – and for a dramatic send off to remember, set adrift on a lake or calm sea and set alight, allowing the boat to sink gracefully below the water. Handmade from sustainable wood, finished to a very high standard.
£400
Useful information about scattering of ashes can be found on the Scattering Ashes website.
Keep the ashes at home
If you want to retain the ashes at home for a longer period or indefinitely, you may wish to buy a decorative urn. There are many styles of urns to choose from, either for inside the home or the garden, made from brass, marble, wood or glass. You can also have miniature keepsake urns if you wish to keep only a small quantity of the ashes or share the ashes between family members.
Here are some examples of urns for ashes that we can obtain for you:
Brass Urn
A beautiful brass urn for ashes made by skilled artisans in northern India, using traditional methods to mould and carve the metal into an intricately designed piece.
£110
Danish Nature Urn
Made from corn starch, a material which hardens like a plastic but will completely decompose when buried. The easy screw-on lid allows this urn to be used for keeping at home before either scattering or burying.
£45
Wooden urn
A wooden cremation urn made of Teak, with rounded edges and gentle curves. Suitable for an engraved plaque.
£120
Garden Urn
Suitable for the garden, this organically shaped urn from the Philippines is hand-carved from lava stone, becoming a living part of its environment as it grows a coat of lichen or moss.
£165 – currently out of stock from supplier
Burial of the ashes
You can bury the ashes in a cemetery grave, in which case you will need to purchase the Exclusive Right of Burial for the plot and ensure the casket includes a name-plate and date of death. You will also need the Cremation Certificate and notice of interment form.
Alternatively, you may bury them on private land, in which case you will need the landowner’s permission. If you are burying them within the grounds of a home, a record of the burial should be kept safe (for example with the Deeds). A popular choice is to bury them at a natural burial ground or woodland plot. It is possible to scatter them at Kew Gardens, but you do need to obtain a permit.
When burying ashes, you should ensure they are in a biodegradable container or wooden casket (a cotton bag is acceptable for natural burial grounds). Ashes can also be used to plant a tree, planted in the ground or in a planter so that it is mobile – for this option, see the Living Memorial below.
Here are examples of suitable options we can obtain for you:
Wooden Casket
This ashes casket is superbly constructed and finished to an exceptional standard. They are made from solid Oak, Mahogany or Paulownia (a lightweight, sustainable and fast growing alternative to Oak).
£50
Double ashes caskets are also available
Paper urn
This ‘Floral Bouquet’ paper urn is handmade from sky blue and white paper, featuring an attractive white paper flower centre.
£60
Eco-urn
This environmentally friendly urn is hand woven in the Philippines by craftsmen using locally sourced, sustainable natural materials, including Bamboo, Banana leaf and Water hyacinth.
£50
Biodegradable Urn
Made entirely of crushed olive pips and naturally coloured with kiwi, this attractive, innovative ‘green’ urn nurtures the growth of a living memorial.
£140
Plant a Tree – Living Memorial
If you wish to create a living memorial, using the ashes to nurture a tree for example, you should never simply bury the ashes untreated or just mix them with soil. Cremated ashes do contain valuable plant nutrients, but the high pH and sodium salts within the ash inhibit plant growth.
The Living Memorial kit contains an organic nourishing mixture that allows plants to grow and thrive, using the ashes to create a living memorial.
Each Living Memorial Kit contains:
- 1 biodegradable cardboard container
- 1 bag containing the RTN soil organic mixture
- Mixing directions for burial or planting
£115
How it works – for burial with a plant
- Dig a hole at least twice the size of the root ball of your plant
- Place your mixed kit and ashes evenly and carefully at the bottom
- Follow the instructions for your choice of plant and water thoroughly
You can also bury without a plant – simply place the mix into the hole, cover with soil and water thoroughly.
You can download a PDF list of suitable plants here.
Memorial jewellery and keepsakes
There are many options available for retaining a small quantity of ashes in the form of handmade cremation jewellery, glass art memorials and keepsake urns. A small quantity of the ash, about one teaspoon per item, is usually sufficient and jewellery can also be engraved.
Here are some examples of memorial jewellery and keepsakes that we can obtain for you:
Signet ring
A beautifully designed, contemporary piece for both men and women. A stunning flat gemstone is a classic tribute for your loved one, complete with complimentary engraving inside the ring, as well as a choice of 16 different coloured gemstones and all precious metals.
from £580
Heart Pendant
This beautiful pendant comes ready to wear with an 18″ chain and complimentary engraving on the back up to 15 characters, as well as a choice of 16 different coloured gemstones and all precious metals.
from £590
Silver droplet
This keepsake pendant is made from sterling silver, discreetly housing a small amount of ash. Chain sold separately.
£165
Silver Rose Heart Keepsake
This brass Keepsakes is made by skilled artisans in northern India, using traditional methods to mould and carve the metal into intricately designed pieces that really sparkle.
£30
Heart pendant necklace
A beautifully crafted necklace holding the ashes of your loved one inside the perfectly cut gemstone. Available in five vivid colours of enduring crystal glass, complete with a hallmarked, 18-inch chain and engraving.
£295
Tribute Ring
Set into a band of sterling silver, 9ct gold or white gold, the stunning stones of these hand-crafted tribute rings are made in part from the ashes of your loved one, encased in beautiful crystal glass with your own personal message inscribed inside the band. Each individually cut stone is available in one of five colours.
£295
Seascape Glass Art Memorial
A stunning handmade glass artwork that reflects the movement of our oceans, with flowing tactile textures, hues of aqua marine, turquoise and blues as well as clear iridescent glass. The ashes will be clearly seen scattered throughout the memorial. This is a beautiful, reflective piece and unique piece.
£245 – £1,650 (based on size)
Crystal Tealight Silver
This eye-catching tealight holds a segment of ash or a lock of hair within the silver (or gold) cylinders. Engraving option available.
£130
We also recommend the following websites for ashes jewellery and fingerprint etched jewellery – we can order any of these items for you:
RELATED BLOG: Modern and alternative urns for ashes
