Losing someone you love is never easy, and finding a meaningful way to honour their memory can bring comfort during difficult times. Memorial tree planting services offer a beautiful, lasting tribute, one that grows and flourishes for generations. For families who’ve chosen direct cremation, planting a tree provides the freedom to create a personal memorial without the time pressures of a traditional funeral.
Whether you’d like to scatter ashes at the roots, dedicate a tree in a woodland, or simply give back to nature in someone’s name, there are several reputable organisations across the UK that can help. Many families find that watching a tree grow becomes a source of ongoing connection to their loved one, a living reminder rather than a static headstone.
We’ve researched and compared the best options available to help you find the right fit. Below, you’ll discover five trusted memorial tree planting services operating in the UK, including what they offer, their costs, and what makes each one worth considering.
1. Woodland Trust
The Woodland Trust is one of the UK’s largest woodland conservation charities, and it offers several ways to dedicate trees in memory of someone you love. You can choose from planting a physical tree, dedicating one in an existing woodland, or contributing to broader reforestation efforts. Their established reputation and nationwide reach make them a popular choice for families seeking a meaningful, nature-focused memorial.
What you can dedicate and what you receive
You can dedicate a tree in someone’s name through their online portal, and you’ll receive a personalised digital certificate featuring the dedicatee’s name and a short message. The certificate includes details about the woodland where your dedication supports tree planting. If you opt for a Gift of Trees pack, you receive a physical certificate, information booklet, and tree care guide in the post. These packs are often chosen by families who want something tangible to keep or display at a memorial gathering.
Where the trees go and how locations work
The Woodland Trust plants trees across hundreds of sites throughout England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, but you cannot choose a specific location for your dedicated tree. Your contribution funds their broader planting programme, which focuses on native species and long-term woodland creation. While you won’t have a single tree with your loved one’s name attached in the ground, your donation helps establish entire woodlands that will thrive for centuries.
"A single dedication can support multiple trees being planted, creating a wider environmental impact than one standalone memorial."
Who this suits best
This option suits families who value environmental impact over a physical plaque or visiting site. If you’re comfortable with a symbolic dedication rather than a specific tree you can visit, the Woodland Trust offers excellent value. It’s particularly fitting for loved ones who cared deeply about nature conservation or climate action.
Pricing and typical add-ons
Dedications start at £10 for a single tree, with larger grove options available from £30 upwards. The physical Gift of Trees pack costs £20 and includes five trees. There are no ongoing fees, plaques, or site visits to arrange, which keeps the process simple and affordable.
2. National Trust
The National Trust manages hundreds of historic gardens, parks, and countryside sites across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and they offer tree planting gifts that support conservation work within these protected landscapes. Unlike the Woodland Trust’s broader approach, the National Trust allows you to link your memorial to specific properties, which appeals to families who want a connection to a particular place. Their service works well if your loved one had a favourite National Trust location or if you want to combine a memorial with heritage preservation.
How their tree planting gifts work
You purchase a tree planting gift online or by phone, and the National Trust plants trees as part of their habitat restoration and woodland management programmes. You receive a certificate that confirms your dedication, along with information about where your contribution supports planting. The process is straightforward, and you don’t need to arrange anything beyond making your donation and choosing any optional personalisation.
Where the trees are planted and what you can personalise
Trees are planted at National Trust properties nationwide, and you can sometimes request a preferred region or estate during purchase, though availability varies by season. You cannot choose an exact tree or visit a specific sapling with a plaque, but your dedication supports native species planting in historic landscapes. The certificate includes the dedicatee’s name and a short message you provide.
"National Trust tree gifts blend memorial tribute with heritage conservation, preserving landscapes for future generations."
Who this suits best
This suits families who value the link to heritage sites and want their memorial to support conservation in places people can visit and enjoy. If your loved one was a National Trust member or regularly visited certain properties, this adds personal significance. It works less well if you need a physical marker or want to scatter ashes at the tree’s base.
Pricing and what affects cost
Tree planting gifts start at £25 for a single tree dedication, with options to plant multiple trees from £50 upwards. Pricing varies slightly depending on whether you order online or request a physical certificate pack by post. There are no ongoing fees or membership requirements, making it a one-time contribution.
3. Life for a Life Memorial Forests
Life for a Life Memorial Forests operates dedicated memorial woodlands where families can plant a tree and install a personalised plaque in memory of someone who has died. Unlike the broader dedication schemes offered by larger charities, this service gives you a specific location you can visit and a physical tree your family can watch grow over the years. Their woodlands are designed specifically for memorial purposes, which creates a peaceful environment for reflection and remembrance.
How their memorial forests and dedications work
You purchase a plot within one of their memorial woodlands, and they plant a native tree species of your choice at the location. Each memorial includes a durable engraved plaque mounted near the tree, which you can personalise with names, dates, and messages. The team handles planting, and you can attend the planting ceremony if you wish. Families often scatter ashes around the tree’s roots, making it a complete memorial solution.
Site options across the UK and visiting the woodland
Life for a Life operates several dedicated memorial forests across England, and you choose your preferred site during the purchase process. Each woodland is maintained specifically for memorial purposes, with accessible paths and seating areas for visitors. You receive the exact location coordinates, and you can visit whenever you like without booking.
Who this suits best
This suits families who want a physical place to visit and a tangible memorial marker. If you prefer a private woodland setting over a public park or nature reserve, this offers more intimacy. It works particularly well if you plan to scatter ashes or want a permanent plaque.
Pricing, plaques, and ongoing care
Plots typically start at £1,495 for a single tree memorial, which includes the tree, plaque, planting, and perpetual maintenance of the site. Larger family plots and additional personalisation options increase the cost. There are no ongoing annual fees, as your initial payment covers long-term care.
"A dedicated memorial forest gives you a specific tree and plaque, creating a permanent place for your family to return to over the years."
4. Trees for Streets
Trees for Streets runs a community-focused sponsorship programme that plants trees in public spaces like streets, parks, and green areas across the UK. Unlike memorial tree planting services that operate in private woodlands, this option places your dedicated tree within your local community, where neighbours and passers-by can enjoy it daily. You sponsor a tree through their platform, and they coordinate with local councils to plant it in a suitable public location near you.
How sponsoring a street or park tree works
You choose a tree sponsorship online, and Trees for Streets works with your local council to identify planting locations that need new trees. Once a suitable spot is confirmed, they plant a native species appropriate for urban environments, such as oak, cherry, or lime. You receive updates about your tree’s planting date and location, and you can request a personalised dedication plaque if available in your area.
How councils, locations, and timelines affect the process
Planting depends on council schedules and seasonal planting windows, typically between November and March. You cannot choose the exact street or specify a precise tree location, as councils determine placement based on infrastructure, safety, and biodiversity needs. This means your tree might be planted several months after sponsorship, and the location may be within a broader neighbourhood area rather than a specific address.
Who this suits best
This suits families who want their memorial to benefit their local community and prefer a tree that residents can enjoy daily. If you value public accessibility over a private woodland visit, this works well.
Pricing and what is included
Sponsorships start at £30 per tree, which covers the sapling, planting, and three years of aftercare. Dedication plaques cost extra where councils permit them.
"A street tree memorial creates a living tribute your entire community can appreciate for decades."
5. The National Forest
The National Forest is a large-scale woodland creation project spanning 200 square miles across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Staffordshire, and it offers tree dedications that support this ongoing transformation of former industrial land into diverse woodland. Unlike traditional memorial tree planting services that operate single sites, your dedication contributes to creating an entire forest for future generations. This service appeals to families who want their memorial to support a major environmental legacy.
How dedicating a tree works and what you receive
You purchase a dedication through their website, and The National Forest plants trees as part of their annual planting programmes across multiple sites within the forest boundary. You receive a personalised certificate confirming your dedication, which includes the dedicatee’s name and your chosen message. The certificate arrives by post within two weeks, and you can also receive a digital version immediately.
Tree species choices and where the planting happens
The National Forest plants native broadleaf species like oak, birch, and rowan depending on soil conditions and site requirements. Trees are planted throughout the 200-square-mile area, but you cannot choose a specific location or visit a particular tree with a plaque.
Who this suits best
This suits families who value large-scale environmental impact over a physical visiting site. If you want your memorial to support a nationally recognised forest creation project, this works well.
"The National Forest dedication supports transforming industrial landscapes into thriving woodland for generations to come."
Pricing and personalisation options
Dedications start at £50 for ten trees, with larger options available. There are no ongoing fees or additional costs for plaques, as the service focuses on certificate-based dedications.
Next steps for choosing a memorial tree
Choosing between these memorial tree planting services depends on what matters most to you and your family. Consider whether you need a physical place to visit with a plaque, or if you prefer supporting broader environmental work. Think about your budget, the timeline you’re working with, and whether you want to scatter ashes at the tree’s location.
Many families who choose direct cremation appreciate the flexibility to plan a memorial tree planting weeks or months later, without the pressure of organising everything immediately. This gives you time to research options, involve family members in the decision, and create a tribute that truly reflects your loved one’s values. You can scatter ashes during the planting ceremony or simply dedicate a tree as a living memorial without remains.
Whatever you choose, planting a tree creates a lasting legacy that grows stronger each year, offering comfort and connection long into the future.