--- title: Missing a Loved One? These 5 Tips Can Help You Create a Memorial Garden. date: 2026-10-20T05:30:00-04:00 author: University of Maryland canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/missing-a-loved-one-these-5-tips-can-help-you-create-a-memorial-garden" section: Articles --- # Missing a Loved One? These 5 Tips Can Help You Create a Memorial Garden. *October 20, 2026* — by [Sala Levin ’10](/author/sala-levin-10) > A new University of Maryland Extension program will help people channel grief into backyard refuges. *Grief gardening 1920x1080 — A Master Gardener in training has developed a new University of Maryland Extension program to help people channel grief into backyard refuges. (GIF by Valerie Morgan; images via Adobe Stock and Unsplash)* Lowe’s may be an unconventional place to turn to in a time of mourning, but in 2019, after losing her unborn daughter at 19 weeks, Julie Odar found herself drawn to the hardware store’s garden center. She wandered the aisles, reading the plant tags, and soon realized that gardening might be the key to processing her grief. *A woman in a shirt called "Native Plant Nerd" holding a sign that says "Bay Wise" — Master gardener-in-training Julie Odar has created a memorial garden to honor two pregnancy losses. (Photo courtesy of Odar)* *Pink azalea — An azalea was the first plant Odar planted in her garden. She chose it for its pink shade, which honors the name of her daughter, Coral.* *Red coral honeysuckle — Coral honeysuckle is also a nod to Odar's daughter, Coral.* **Topics:** [Campus & Community](https://today.umd.edu/tags/campus-community) **Tags:** [Grand Challenges](https://today.umd.edu/topic/grand-challenges), [Research](https://today.umd.edu/topic/research) **Units:** [College of Agriculture and Natural Resources](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-agriculture-and-natural-resources), [University of Maryland Extension](https://today.umd.edu/topic/university-of-maryland-extension)