What Type of Urn is best for Burial?

Choosing an urn for burial is different from choosing one to keep at home. Here the urn does not need to last, it needs to suit the ground it goes into and any rules the site applies. The two main paths are a natural burial, where the urn breaks down, and an interment in a cemetery, where a longer-lasting urn may be needed.

For a garden or natural burial: biodegradable

If you are burying ashes in your own garden or at a woodland burial site, a biodegradable urn is designed for the job. It holds the ashes securely, then breaks down in the soil over a few months, leaving nothing behind. The Purity Earthurn and the hemp Embrace urn are both made for land burial.

Bamboo: strong enough to display, natural enough to bury

Bamboo urns sit nicely between the two worlds. The Tribute Bamboo urn is solid enough to keep on a shelf for a while, then biodegrades once buried. It is a good option if you want time with the urn before committing it to the ground.

Burying ashes at a cemetery or family grave

Interring ashes in a cemetery ashes plot, columbarium, or an existing family grave often comes with rules about the container. Some sites ask for a sealed, longer-lasting urn rather than one that breaks down. Always check with the cemetery or the grave owner before you buy, since requirements vary from place to place.

A few practical points

• Get the landowner's consent before burying ashes anywhere that is not your own land.
• For a garden burial, remember you may not always live at that address. Some families prefer a permanent site like a cemetery plot for that reason.
• If you want a living memorial, a biodegradable urn can be buried with a shrub or tree planted above it.

Frequently asked questions

What type of urn is best for burying ashes?

For a garden or natural burial, a biodegradable urn made of plant fiber, paper, or bamboo is best, since it breaks down in the soil. For a cemetery interment, check whether the site requires a sealed, longer-lasting urn.

Can I bury an urn in my garden?

Yes, on your own land with the landowner's consent. A biodegradable urn is the natural choice, and many families plant something above it as a living marker.

How deep should ashes be buried?

A depth of around two to three feet is typical for a garden burial, deep enough to be undisturbed. Cemetery ashes plots have their own set depths, which the site will advise.

Do biodegradable burial urns break down completely?

Yes. Made from natural materials, they return to the soil over months without leaving residue, the time depending on the material and how warm and moist the ground is.

Browse biodegradable urns, or read more on how cremation urns are buried.