When Roy and I were out and about in the country not long ago, Roy found a brochure which talked about cemeteries. Now, cemeteries are interesting places and a fantastic place to find some beautiful sculpture, especially in old cemeteries but we didn't realise that country cemeteries are also very important in keeping some of our native plants alive! So this week, Roy decided that we should visit a cemetery or two and show you that they are much more alive than you might think.
When a new town or settlement was established in Australia, particularly in the country, it usually wasn't long before a cemetery was also established. It was important that each settlement had an appropriate place to bury people because in Australia's climate you couldn't take the body far. It was also important to the family that the grave be maintained so the closer to home the better. Sometimes families even had their own private cemeteries on their land so that people could be buried quickly and close to home. Most cemeteries were set up just outside town and they were fenced and carefully maintained. Sometimes places which were reserved for cemeteries were never even used, or only have a few graves in them, but they were fenced and maintained none-the-less.
Because cemeteries were fenced and carefully maintained, they actually have an important role in preserving some of Australia's rarer plants. This might sound really strange, but because cemeteries were usually set aside soon after a town was established, and fenced to prevent stock disturbing the graves, often Australian natives especially grasses, have survived in cemeteries (and along railways) where they have all but disappeared outside them! Sometimes the tree's were removed, though often this was not the case, but even then, the understorey of the bush with grasses, orchids, and small flowers survived in close to their original condition.
On top of this, because the native habitat survived inside the cemeteries, often the animals also lived there. Sometimes the animals and plants which live inside a cemetery are actually very rare, and sometimes even though the individual species are common, the ecosystem (or combination of plants and animals) is rare because it no longer exists outside the cemetery!
As well as preserving our native plants and animals, sometimes the plants which were actually introduced into cemeteries are also important. Often the family would plant flowers or trees over or next to the grave of a loved one, and larger cemeteries were often actually designed with gardens and trees. Sometimes these plants have become heritage breeds which are not often used today and in fact occasionally they are rare! We can also tell a great deal about people by what sorts of plants they used. You might remember that Roy created a gift from the garden some time ago (to read that post click here) and discussed the different meanings which particular plants and flowers had. By using the language of flowers we can sometimes learn things about the people who planted them. If you would like to learn more about the secret life of cemeteries click here or here.