Tribute Guidelines

To remember and honor a loved one when you visit, tributes made of natural plant material may be left graveside. Tributes will be removed for you when they become unsightly or during area maintenance. These regulations support our Vision of environmental stewardship by helping to preserve the landscape and ensure the safety of staff, wildlife, and visitors.

Natural Items Permitted Include:

Unwrapped bouquets or single stem flowers

Potted plants in a small (up to 8” wide) disposable container or basket, limit 3 per monument*

During winter months: natural evergreens and/or dried plant material (wreaths, baskets, and sprays) that are appropriate to the winter holiday season*

*Some areas, including those with shared memorials, have special regulations and may not allow these Tribute items. Please contact us if you are not certain about the regulations in your area.

In most areas, Mount Auburn provides and installs one metal flower vase, set flush with the turf, after the interment in a single, companion, or urn grave is made. Due to safety concerns, other permanently installed vases or fixtures are not allowed.

Adhesives, like tape, and wedging items into crevices will cause damage. Do not attach anything to the surface of a crypt, niche, or monument, and do not insert anything into the crevices between crypt panels. Tributes may only be set on the ground.

Mount Auburn reserves the right to immediately remove items that are prohibited. These items become litter or pose a serious safety risk when left in the landscape.

Prohibited Items – include, but are not limited to:

Balloons
Glass
Metal
Rocks and seashells
Photos and cards
Toys
Candles and lanterns
Anything containing batteries
Food

Important Note: Mount Auburn is not responsible for the safekeeping of any items left in the landscape. It is not advised to leave items of sentimental or monetary value. Once removed, these items cannot be retrieved.

All in-ground planting must be done by Mount Auburn’s Horticulture staff. To find out if in-ground planting is available for your grave location, please contact our client relations team: 617-607-2424 or email clientrelations@mountauburn.org.

Flags are permitted only during celebrations of Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, and Veterans’ Day and will be removed the following week.

There are at least three times annually when ALL tributes are removed: approximately the first week of February, the second week of June, and the first week of October. Items will be removed throughout the week during these clean-up times. Please see our current Tribute calendar for actual dates.