Jen's Questions

Jen Van Pelt ~ Honors Colloquium

25 Questions

1. Why is there a half circle of three long-standing hemlocks at the end of Lot 46?

2. Under one of those hemlocks there is one flat, tablet-like headstone which lists several members for each of three different surnames written on it. What tradition does this follow? Is it a Jewish practice?

3. In what form and at what age where these hemlocks planted?

4. What is the relationship between the gravesite and the nearby hemlock trees? Were they thought of in relation to each other during their original installations?

5. There are four Oriental spruces standing just inside the grove of deep-rooted hemlocks, with one spruce noticeably out of place in relation to the others. How many trees were in the original design, and what was the design's significance?

6. There are two very old boxwoods on one side of Lot 45, gigantic compared to modern landscapes. When they were planted, was it intended that they would be allowed to grow that tall? Were they part of a larger design feature of the park, possibly including many more boxwoods and weeping cherries?

7. I've noticed lily-turf creeping under many trees on both lots, but don't see that planting pattern repeating itself throughout the cemetery as a shade loving ground cover. Was creeping lily-turf popular when was it planted on these lots, and for what reason is it present on only certain lots?

8. What cultivar is the huge ash tree living on Lot 45? When was it planted, in what form, and where did it come from?

9. Were the pin oak, white pine, and the spruces purposefully not limbed-up in their younger days, so that they would become full and pendulous close to ground level?

10. Were the catalpa trees and tulip poplars indigenous, or were they planted to be part of these lots?

11. Have any of the features of the park been dictated by legal documents such as Wills or client contracts? If so, which parts of the park and how is the design altered to fit that unchangeable feature?

12. Why is the Thomas headstone surrounded by a well-tended, healthy Oregongrapeholly? Was that a choice of the family, management, or was it planted there for some other reason? What was that reason?

13. There are a few random patches of yucca seemingly scattered throughout these two lots. Are these patches part of a greater design which spans a larger area than seen from the ground? How do they fit into the design for these lots, and the overall design of the park?

14. A curved bench is part of the Wiltsee memorial. This curved bench says to me 'gather together, rest, and look inward toward the person sitting on the other end.' What was the thought behind choosing this shape for the bench, as opposed to a straight bench?

15. Shelly pointed out to me that certain headstones have mineral deposits, which decay over time to resemble tears, as though the stones were in mourning. Was the stone chosen for that quality, or is that a development that was unexpected?

16. There is a grave at the back of Lot 46, which is allowed to go untended to the extent that ivy is growing on the headstone despite that the area around this grave is orderly and well-tended. What is the reason for this tiny, rectangular wilderness?

17. There is a four-sided headstone for the Day family which has the name of a different person and an image on each side of the cube. On E. Harvey Day's part of the stone it reads: "When God gathers his fruit from the tree of life, who has a right to complain?" Where did this quote come from and what does it mean to the Day family?

18. There were several small statues of dogs near certain gravesites. Why did they choose to put these dog statues there? Are the family pets buried there? Is it symbolic?

19. There are two or more weathered statutes of resting human figures laid out on a bed. What did they represent when they were placed at the site? Has that meaning changed over time? Are statues such as those used today?

20. There is weathered statuary of lambs and calves among the graves. What did they represent when they were put there? Has that meaning changed over time? Are statues such as those used today?

21. There is a small headstone marked "Baby / July 29, 1894." Was this a specific choice of a family, or is it the tradition in some ethnic or religious group not to name the baby until it survives to a certain number of days?

22. Do the dates of birth and death on the gravestones at Spring Grove correspond to the expected lifespan of a person as recorded for each decade the cemetery was in operation? How is it different?

23. What is the meaning of the draped-urn statuary? What tradition does that come from? Are they popular today?

24. What is the meaning of the obelisks? What tradition does that come from? Are they popular today?

25. What is the meaning of the altar headstone with an open book on it? Is it a pulpit? Was it used in the ceremony?

Feelings About Spring Grove Cemetery

I became aware of Spring Grove Cemetery a long time ago. I hadn't visited Spring Grove until attending classes at Cincinnati State. I had experience with graveyards before visiting this cemetery. When I was young, I would never laugh when a hearse went by and also held my breath when driving past graveyards. I also explored a couple of cemeteries when I was a kid in Spooky Hollow and elsewhere, and attended many funerals when I was young for deaths in the family.

I explored the grounds of Spring Grove in my first Woody Plant ID class, which gave me a pretty good look at the artwork, grounds keeping, landscaping, and arrangement of the garden. I felt many different feelings about the experience. I was amazed at the diversity of plants that grow naturally in this area, which I understand to have more variety than anywhere in the United States. While at Spring Grove, I spend quiet moments watching the movement of joggers, walkers, mourners and other visitors. I have a feeling for the flow of people who visit this cemetery. I thought this would be a good place to study. This was not just a burial place, but a park-like, horticultural environment with a dynamic and diverse population of plants, insects and small animals.

I did not agree with the purpose of graveyards when I was young, and still believe they are wasteful for the purpose they serve. I prefer the alternatives to burial such as cremation and burial at sea. Spring Grove is one of the few exceptions to this rule because it is such a beautiful arboretum that it is very easy to forget you are in a massive burial ground. It seems to me that if you are going to bury people in the ground those bodies should be allowed to return to the earth without a casket to keep them preserved. It does not seem right to commit good land to burial when that land could serve a better purpose, such as manifesting permaculture in the form of a city food forest. Each one of the billions of people would have to be buried. With more people on earth we were robbing the earth of any purpose beyond what manicured grass can produce.

I have come to appreciate the value of funerals and the beauty of the cemetery as a city landmark. I hope to come to a richer understanding of cemeteries as a landmark and how they function in society. This class and my work at Spring Grove this summer will balance my interest in horticulture, the history of the City as preserved there, the design of the landscape, and the choice of plants for the grounds and the arboretum.
-Jen VP 7/09