Hi Marief, we have had the same trouble and it is a worry, could I suggest you plant the grave up with lots of bulbs, maybe the small tete a tete daffs, snowdrops, and even tulips also the hardy geranium plant is a good spreader, that is what we have done for this year with fingers crossed.(planted it up last autumn)

Yes a lovely idea of many spring bulbs .also heather and vinca is a nice spreading ground cover

A nice rose bush.

Small azalea.

Hardy fuchsia

Campanula portenschlagiana (if that's how you spell it) will grow and spread almost anywhere and has blue flowers all summer.It is a gound hugger. You will just need to stop it spreading beyond the edges of the grave when it gets going. Your bulbs will come up through the middle of it so yu can have both.

Yes campanula is beautiful I have in my blue and white theme in my garden .

I just remembered we also planted a shuttlecock fern which are very hardy and dont need any attention really.

If it is a little shaded Brunnera would be nice. forget-me-not type of flower...seems apt ?

Maybe some seeds of local wildflowers, too. Re Grandmage's suggestion, note that shuttlecock ferns can get quite large if they like the area.

Sedums will take a lot of neglect, as long as it is a sunny site.

Think the ferns will be fine Tug.a grave is 6' in length and when planting up it is amazing how big an area this is to fill, I like the idea of sedums Volunteer, I have made a note of those just in case what we have planted is not a success.

My worry is that it would cover up and/or block access to the headstone. The sedums made me also think of the hardy Delospermas.

It wouldn't reach the headstone if it was panted at least half way down though would it? It would look really nice with campanulas all round it. The sedums would be a good alternative especially if the ground is on the dry side.

Hmmm...In their favorite spots in the USA, Shuttlecock Ferns will grow 6-7 ft. tall and wide, Steragram. Different in the UK, I take it?

Very different Tug. they are much much smaller. 2ft max in height and spread. approx.

Yes Tug, very different! A 7 foot one must be very impressive.

It's gorgeous, but a bit of a handful! That's my Uncle's in Pennsylvania, but it's not unusual in the Northeastern U.S.