hestiaWhat green burial means
In a green or natural burial, the person is buried without embalming, in a simple shroud or a casket that breaks down naturally, and usually without a concrete vault. The grave is often marked simply, or with a native plant or stone.
Tennessee law does not require embalming, and there is no state law requiring a vault. Many conventional cemeteries do require a vault, so a natural burial ground is usually the way to do it.
Natural burial ground near Nashville
Larkspur Conservation
155 Bear Carr Road, Westmoreland, TN 37186
Phone (615) 854-0010
A nonprofit conservation burial ground on 112 acres next to Taylor Hollow State Natural Area in Sumner County, about 40 miles from downtown Nashville.
Working with a funeral home
You can work with any funeral home for a natural burial. Ask whether it has done one before, whether it will store the person without embalming (and for how long), and if it sells or accepts a simple shroud or pine box. Some families in Tennessee care for the person at home themselves. Read about family-led funerals in Tennessee.
Questions families ask
Is green burial legal in Tennessee?
Yes. Tennessee does not require embalming or a burial vault by law. Individual cemeteries set their own rules.
Where can I have a natural burial near Nashville?
Larkspur Conservation in Westmoreland, Sumner County, is a dedicated conservation burial ground about 40 miles from downtown Nashville.
Plan it together, for free
A Hestia family space keeps the decisions, tasks, guests and costs in one private place, so nobody has to piece it together from texts and calls.
Start a free family space