We are compiling this directory of flowery burial grounds from across the UK, which we would recommend visiting if you are looking for a well managed site rich in wildlife and heritage. Burial grounds can have a rich array of plants, animals and fungi, and may contain the only surviving area of flower-rich grassland in a parish. All the sites listed here contain this habitat. To see the flowers at their best, late May to mid or end of July is usually the most suitable time to visit. However, do contact the site managers for more specific timings before you visit if this is important to you.
Greenacres Rainford is a unique, natural cemetery and ceremonial park located on the outskirts of St Helens.
The plan at Greenacres has always been to manage and develop the long term conifer stand and integrate the broadleaf woodland over time. The ground flora and grassland biodiversity has been enhance and the tree canopy opened up.
The aim is to conserve the wood as a native British type, so all trees, shrubs and wildflowers planted are native ones.
In the woodland regeneration programme damaged, dead and diseased trees are removed and poor specimens are thinned out to allow in more light/space for the healthier trees. There have been immediate benefits of self-seeding and improvements in the size, shape and health of our tree stock. In addition, we have increased the variety of species with additional planting.
The following species can be found at Rainford.
Scots Pine, Beech, Elm, Small Leaved Lime, Corsican Pine Sweet Chestnut, Hazel, Mountain Ash, Oak, Hawthorn Sycamore, Birch – Silver & Downy varieties, Wild Cherry, Sycamore, Holly and many more.
With the improvement in tree health, the increase in tree species and the provision of nesting sites, Rainford has seen encouraging growth in bird numbers and types. The following can be seen:
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Crow, Crossbill, Wren, Green Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Goldcrest, Heron, Sparrow Hawk, Great Tit, Blackbird, Nuthatch, Tawny Owl, Mistle thrush, Pied Wagtail, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch Jay, Wood Pigeon, Tree creeper, Magpie, Robin, Greenfinch and more.
There are also many varieties of wildflowers to be seen in the woodland, for example:
Snowdrops, Wild Daffodils, Wild Primroses, Bluebells, Ground Ivy, Foxglove, Red Campion, Nettles, Ferns and much more.
Many people feel Spring is the best time to visit when the woodland is starting to come back to life and the British Bluebells are beginning to take over the woodland floor again. However, all 4 seasons bring something different and special for visitors to see and we encourage people to just come and walk around this beautiful, tranquil site on Merseyside.
- Good accessibility
- Peaceful space for quiet reflection
- Wild flower Areas in spring/summer
- Wildlife haven
There is easy access to all the burial areas. However, we do have a golf buggy to ferry families to and from their plot should they need it.
We have a service hall that seats 85 and wooden benches around the burial ground.
If you are travelling by train – the nearest railway station on Northern Rail is St Helens, from where a fifteen minutes taxi ride will bring you to the park. There is a taxi rank available outside the station.
The map below will take a few seconds to load. You can search for a burial ground either by county, or by the name of the burial ground, or by clicking the markers on the map.
Add your burial ground.
If you would like to nominate a flowery burial ground that you manage for inclusion in our directory, please complete the form here. We will review all submissions before inclusion in the directory, so please understand you won’t see your burial ground immediately.Â
