After a cremation, deciding what to do with the ashes is a deeply personal choice. This guide explores the most common options, helping you find what feels right for you and your family.

It can help to start with a few simple questions: would you like a place to visit, something you can keep close, or to scatter the ashes in a place that feels meaningful? You don’t have to decide immediately, and you don’t have to figure it out alone. At CMG, our memorial specialists can talk you through the options whenever you feel ready.

After the cremation we can safely store the ashes for you. That can give you space to talk things through with family or friends, to reflect on what your loved one may have wanted, and to make a decision without pressure.

Some people choose a lasting place to return to. Others prefer something private, or a plan that keeps options open for the future. Below are some of the most common choices, including the options available within our memorial grounds.

Your options for ashes after cremation

• Scatter the ashes in our gardens of remembrance or somewhere that feels personal to you.
• Bury (inter) the ashes in a private or communal memorial garden.
• Place the ashes in a secure above-ground memorial, such as a stone memorial.
• Keep the ashes close to home, for example in jewellery, a keepsake, an urn or a personal memorial.

Scattering the ashes

Scattering the ashes can feel simple and freeing, especially if there’s a location that meant something to your loved one, or to you. Some families choose our gardens of remembrance; others prefer a place that holds shared memories. In the UK, you must get permission from the landowner if you are scattering ashes on private land. If you’re unsure what’s allowed, we can talk you through the practicalities.

Burying (interring) the ashes

Interring ashes creates a specific place of remembrance, somewhere you can visit on anniversaries, bring children or grandchildren, or simply sit quietly. Within our grounds, ashes can be laid to rest in private or communal memorial gardens, and families are welcome to attend when the ashes are interred.

Choosing an above-ground memorial

An above-ground memorial can be the right choice if you want a dedicated place within the grounds, with the reassurance of a secure setting for the ashes. We offer stone memorial options above ground, and we can help you choose what best suits your wishes and budget.

Keeping ashes close to home

Keeping ashes at home can feel comforting, particularly in the early months. Some people choose an urn or a personal memorial; others prefer a smaller keepsake or jewellery. If you keep the ashes close (or scatter them elsewhere), you might also want a place to visit, such as a memorial garden, plaque or dedication, so there’s still a physical point of remembrance for family and friends.

Creating a lasting tribute: a place to return to

Many families find comfort in having a special place to return to, somewhere that feels peaceful, familiar and easy to visit over time.

Within our memorial grounds, we offer different ways to create a lasting tribute. Our landscaped grounds include secluded spaces for privacy, open areas where you can walk comfortably in nature, and places to sit quietly with family or friends.

Options within our grounds

Private memorial gardens: A lasting place of remembrance that is yours forever. Ashes can be laid to rest and you can choose a rose or ornamental tree as a living tribute.

Other memorial gardens: A choice of communal or semi-communal gardens in different styles, for the burial or placing of ashes.

Plaques and dedications: If you choose to scatter the ashes or keep them at home, a plaque within our grounds, or a dedication in the Book of Remembrance, can create a lasting tribute for loved ones to visit.

Private memorial gardens

A private memorial garden offers a lasting place to remember a loved one. Designed for the burial of ashes, each garden comes in a choice of shapes and can be planted with a rose or ornamental tree to create a living tribute. Families are welcome to attend when the ashes are laid to rest.

Options for loved ones to rest together

For those who wish to rest together, we have family garden options available, where the ashes of loved ones can be interred when the time comes, creating a shared place of remembrance.

Please note: the memorial options available can vary slightly depending on location. If you tell us what you have in mind, we can confirm what’s available and talk you through the next steps.

Creating a memorial after a direct cremation

If the cremation was held without mourners in attendance, you can still create a memorial within our grounds. Whether you choose the same crematorium, or a crematorium with memorial grounds closer to your home, our memorial specialists are here to support you. The same options are available whether an attended or unattended cremation was chosen.

Next steps

If you’d like to see the grounds in person, we can arrange a tour. You can also view them on each of our crematorium webpages. Alternatively, if you’d rather talk things through first, our memorial specialists can explain the options, answer practical questions, and help you choose a tribute that feels right.