titan casket advertisement

Meaningful Grave Decorations for Mom – 21 Unique Ideas

Alex Marcombe
Last updated

This site contains affiliate links, meaning that we earn a small commission for purchases made through our site. We only recommend products we personally use or have thoroughly reviewed.

Finding a way to commemorate and connect with your mother can be hard after she has passed. The absence can be particularly noticeable during the holiday season and times such as Mother’s Day. To turn grief into a celebration of life, we’ve compiled a list of 21 heartfelt grave decorations for moms below.

Before Decorating your Mother’s Grave…

Ensure that you check the cemetery rules and regulations to ensure that items are allowable. This is because some decor items will pose a safety risk to visitors, interfere with lawn maintenance, or can be viewed as inappropriate to some. Some grave or headstone decorations also deteriorate over time (e.g. fresh flowers or faded photographs) and can impact the overall look or aesthetic of the cemetery.

Mom Engraved Heart Memorial

This weather-resistant acrylic plaque is a sweet tribute engraved with ‘In Loving Memory of Mom’, a remembrance poem, and decorative roses on each side. It is mounted on a clear stake for easy placement around the grave.

headstone decorations mother

Coins

A simple but significant tribute, leaving coins on a grave symbolizes respect for those who have passed. This is a common Military tradition and is also observed in Latin American countries.

grave decorations mothers day

In Loving Memory Engraved River Rock

These delicate river rocks can be placed on your mother’s grave or on top of her headstone (much like the tradition of coins). Alternatively, they can be combined on a small plate – some customers used a sweet heart-shaped bowl for this.

ezgif.com gif maker 1

Personalized Memorial Vase

Add your own special message or loving quote on this vase to decorate your mom’s grave. Made of sturdy resin, this elegant bowl allows you to store flowers to brighten up a space.

vase for mother grave

UV Resistant Artificial Flowers

If you’re looking for a long-lasting floral arrangement to go with a vase then consider these blooms. Made for outdoor use, these flowers are a refreshing mix of colors that work well against most darker granite gravesites. For a higher-end look, we also recommend this custom artificial bouquet from Etsy.

Sale
Rinlong 6Pcs Artificial UV Resistant Flowers Outdoor Fake…
  • One square foot requires 3-4 Pack of this fake plants to fill.
  • Brighten Up Your Home – For both indoor & outdoor use, the refreshing color of this artificial plant can…
  • UV Resistant – The whole artificial plant is made of plastic, will not be damaged by sun heat. “Plant”…

Rose Quartz Angel Figurine

This angel made of rose quartz – the crystal of compassion and love, is the perfect representation of mothers and their nurturing energy. It also comes with an angel poem gift card to remind you of your guardians watching from above.

Earth Therapy Pocket Guardian Angel with Serenity Prayer…
  • GUARDIAN ANGEL – With our hand-carved angel, you will have a pretty angel with you all day long.
  • POCKET-SIZED FIGURINE – Easy to carry all day long to have an angel looking over your shoulder.
  • PERFECT GIFT INSPIRATIONAL GIFTS FOR WOMEN – A great gift any time of the year.

Upright Memorial Stone

Blending in with most graves with a neutral color, this upright memorial stone bears the beautiful quote “If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever.”

If love could have saved you – Memorial Stone (7.8 LB)
  • Solid cast in stone (7.8 LB) – Not plastic or resin
  • Made for outdoors – Stands upright
  • Deeply engraved

Memorial Wind Chimes

A chime provides healing sound therapy and offers your mom the ability to be present in the wind. These are the best-reviewed options we could find online, with one model engraved with beautiful sentiments and the other with custom names and dates.

Sale
YOUNTASY Sympathy Wind Chimes , Bereavement/Memorial…
  • Sympathy Wind Chimes: Losing a loved one is never easy. Express your heartfelt sympathy with our sympathy…
  • Memorial Wind Chimes: Have you missed the funeral? Send the memorial Wind Chimes as unique memorial gifts…
  • Bereavement Gifts Ready to Gift: The sympathy wind chimes come securely packaged in 13.2×5.1X2.0 inches…

Butterfly Stakes

These waterproof butterfly decorations can be placed around your mother’s gravesite to add a pop of color. Use any extras to adorn your own garden so you have that connection to your mom at home, reminding you of her presence.

Teenitor 40 Pcs Butterfly Decorations Garden Decor, 5…
  • Variety Of Sizes Butterfly Decorations: Package includes 40 pcs 5 different size butterfly garden stakes….
  • Great Quality Decorative Garden Stakes: Butterflies are made of thick PVC, which is waterproof. The…
  • 10 More Bright Colors Butterfly Garden Decor: Pink, red, purple, yellow, green, etc. They look like to…

Decorative Mother Garden Stone

This hand-painted stone is made of durable resin to withstand the elements. The quoted tribute to your mother will work beautifully on the grave or mounted in your preferred spot as a wall plaque.

Spoontiques – Garden Decor – Mother Left Our Life but Never…
  • Stepping Stone – Spoontiques’ stepping stones and decorative plaques are a lovely way to brighten up…
  • Fun And Functional – Spruce up your garden or walkway with a beautiful hand-painted garden stone….
  • Outdoor Décor – Place your vibrant stepping stone in your garden or walkway. Your stone is made of…

Mother’s Love Terracotta Candle Holder

Made of premium terracotta, this white candle holder is an understated decor item for your mother’s grave. “In Remembrance Of My Mother’s Eternal Light And Love” is printed in the text along with a metal lid.

Sale
Pavilion Light Your Way Terracotta Candle Holder – “In…
  • INSPIRATIONAL DESIGN – Terracotta candle holder with “In Remembrance of my Mother’s Eternal Light & Love”…
  • HEARTFELT TRIBUTE – The “In Remembrance of my Mother’s Eternal Light & Love” text offers a heartfelt…
  • VERSATILE DECOR – Suitable for various home styles, this 4.5-inch white candle holder can be used as a…

Remembrance Stone Angel

This angel sculpture with an engraved special mother quote acts as a guardian over a gravesite or garden bed. Made of cold cast ceramic, this memorial item will remain in great condition for longer.

Besti Garden Memorial Stone Angel – Cold-Cast Ceramic…
  • 💮 REMEMBER YOUR MOTHER – Celebrate the beautiful memories you shared with your departed mom by…
  • 💮 ELEGANT & ARTISTIC STATUE – This special angel stone is crafted from hard-wearing cold-cast ceramic…
  • 💮 FOR OUTDOOR & INDOOR DISPLAY – Ideally sized and lightweight, our memorial statue is perfect for any…

Sunflower Solar Lights

Sunflowers represent happiness, longevity, and peace, which is quite fitting for mothers and the selfless roles they play. Decorate your mother’s grave with these solar lights that charge during the day and stay bright for up to 7 hours from dusk.

Sale
KOOPER Solar Lights Outdoor Garden Decor – Upgraded 3 Pack…
  • 【2024 Upgraded Sunflower Solar Lights】Compared to ordinary solar lights for outside, each solar…
  • 【Brighter & Longer Working Time】3 in 1 sunflowers solar lights outdoor with 36 LED string lights,…
  • 【Water-Resistant & Tough & Reliable】The solar garden lights outdoor with a high waterproof level…

Angel Frosted Solar Lights

If you prefer angels to flowers, then these angel solar lights provide ethereal outdoor illumination. Your mother’s gravesite will glow beautifully with 7 rotating colors.

Unique Gadgets & Toys Solar Powered Angel w/Frosted Skirt…
  • Solar powered decorative stick light provides outdoor illumination.
  • 7 rotating colors from white, pink, red, orange, green, purple to blue.
  • Integrated solar panel store energy by sun light.

Baby’s Breath Grapevine Wreath

With a super realistic appearance, this evergreen wreath can be adorned over a headstone or gravesite. The wreath design makes it appropriate for use over festive occasions or for special holidays such as Mother’s Day.

wreath mothers headstone

Custom Memorial Lantern

This classic lantern can be customized to include an image or quotes relating to your mom. The circular ring design gives you the ability to hang it or it can simply be placed on the gravesite.

memorial for mom

Custom Memorial Garden Flag

This custom garden flag can be adorned over a gravesite or hung using a separate flag hanger. Add your favorite image of your mother, significant dates, and any meaningful quotes to the design. 

grave decorations for grandmother

Biodegradable Memorial Balloons

If allowable by the cemetery, these memorial balloons are a festive way to decorate your mother’s grave and celebrate her life. Children who have lost a parent will resonate well with this tribute, and balloons are appropriate for occasions such as Christmas or Mother’s Day.

Gejoy 50 Pieces White Funeral Balloons 12 in Latex Balloons…
  • Memorial balloons: the white balloons pinned your reminiscence and blessings to the passing one, you…
  • Safe material: made of latex, lasting and resuable, natural and non-toxic material for safe use, suitable…
  • Suitable occasions: suitable for funeral balloons, memorial decorations, ash scattering, graveside…

Waterproof Picture Frame

Pick your favorite memories of happy times with your mother and display them over the seasons. The clear acrylic protects your photos while keeping the decor minimal.

Sale
SimpleView 5×7 Waterproof Picture Frame | Memorial Gifts |…
  • ❤️ EMBRACE MEMORIES OF THOSE YOU LOVED – Enjoy these precious moments with SimpleView acrylic picture…
  • 🌧️ WATERPROOF – The SimpleView picture frame is designed for extended outdoor use and offers…
  • 🖼️ EXTRA DURABILITY and HIGH-TRANSPARENCY – Only high-transparency UV-resistant and EXTRA THICK…

Grave Blanket

While traditional grave or casket blankets are made of fresh flowers, this is a modern twist on this decor item. Adorn your mother’s grave with this customized blanket in her favorite colors. Made of waterproof and high-quality UV resistant material, this cover can also be made to celebrate the season (e.g. Mother’s Day or Christmas).

grave blanket mother

QR Code Memorial

For a modern take on grave decorations, this QR Code allows you to create an interactive link to your mother’s memories. This can comprise of pictures, stories, or even a biography of your mom. Visitors to the cemetery can scan the aluminium memorial plate supplied by SmartGraves to access your tribute.

Our Tributes Memorial Webpage and QR Memorial Plaque for…
  • Featured in the 2024 New York Times Holiday Gift Guide!
  • Each purchase comes with a secure, customizable website for your loved one, a 2×2 inch stainless steel QR…
  • Your QR code can be printed from your online account, placed on a posterboard, and used to gather…

Mother’s Grave Decoration FAQs

faqs

What can I put on a grave instead of flowers?

There are plenty of alternative grave decorations that are longer lasting than flowers. Popular options include solar lights, memorial stones, angel figurines, and small flags.

What should I put on my mom’s grave?

This is largely up to personal taste and based on what best represents your mother. Many gravesites for moms are decorated with artificial flowers and picture frames.

What should I put on my mother’s grave for Mother’s Day?

As always, flowers are a beautiful tribute to your mother on this special day. You can choose a unique arrangement such as a wreath for unique holidays. Other options are completely up to you and should reflect how your mom lived.

What color rose do you put on a grave?

The most common rose color placed on a grave is red. This is because red symbolizes love and passionate emotions, particularly when grief and loss are involved.

Photo of author
Alex is a freelance journalist and former mortuary attendant who cut his teeth in his family’s large funeral home business. In his spare time, Alex likes to dabble in photography and contributes many of the images used in Funeral Circle’s content himself.