We sometimes hear from clients that the burial took place recently, a year has not yet passed and the grave has not settled, so it is not yet possible to put a grave border in place.
That is not quite true - the ground of a grave takes 3–9 years to settle, depending on the nature of what has been buried, the type of soil and other factors. No grave can settle within 1 year. The one year after the funeral comes from local council rules on tidying graves after a funeral, on the basis that a year is long enough for relatives to agree among themselves and to find the money needed to tidy and landscape the grave.
It is customary to remove the old flowers and greenery 40 days after the funeral. In winter, the grave mound can be left until spring; in spring it can be levelled, and a grave border can then safely be installed.
How long does the ground take to settle before a grave border can be installed?
A grave border will settle over time in any case; this is an entirely natural process. Sometimes it happens more quickly, even forming larger hollows in the ground, and sometimes gradually, forming shallow dips. Either way, after a period of 3–9 years the grave border or frame will need to be levelled and the missing soil topped up. This is a process that has to be carried out after a burial in any case.
And the myth that a grave can only be laid out a year after the burial does not hold up. A monument is never placed close to the burial itself; we try to install it as near as possible to the edge of the grave plot as a whole, and creating the grave border around the perimeter has nothing to do with the grave settling, because it lies outside the boundaries of the burial.
What is the better way to plan the layout of a grave - put in just a grave border first, or think about the landscaping as a whole?
We recommend planning the overall landscaping concept first. SoulGarden specialists can draw up a complete grave landscaping design for you, with a sketch, dimensions and a detailed quote setting out all the costs. You can then decide whether to landscape the grave completely or in stages - first levelling and tidying the grave plot and putting in a grave border, and later adding a monument, borders, a bench or some other accessory.
SoulGarden specialists recommend tidying the grave after 40 days - removing the old flowers and wreaths and levelling the mound during the warmer months, from April to October - and putting in at least a concrete grave border, which shows the grave is cared for even while the gravestone is still undecided; but if the funeral took place in late autumn or winter, leave the sand mound until the following spring.
There is no need to wait any longer before starting to lay out the grave - it is usually a large and time-consuming process that needs to be planned in good time so that it can be completed during the warmer season.
