Headstone flower saddle guide: from the frame to the finished arrangement

What is a headstone flower saddle?

A flower saddle, also sold as a headstone saddle or tombstone hugger, is a wire or plastic frame that sits across the top of an upright headstone. Its legs or loops hang down the front and back of the stone and grip it, and its top holds a block of floral foam. Flowers and greenery are pushed into the foam, so the finished arrangement runs along the top edge and drapes over the sides.

Saddles are made for upright stones. They cannot grip a flat grass marker or a low bevel marker. If you are not sure which type you have, see upright vs. bevel vs. flat markers.

Are flower saddles allowed in every cemetery?

No. Each cemetery sets its own decoration rules, often section by section, and items that sit on a monument are a common restriction. Ask the cemetery office for the written rules for your section before you buy or place a saddle. Our cemetery headstone rules checklist lists the other questions to ask at the same time.

What do you need to make a flower saddle arrangement?

• A saddle frame that fits the thickness of the headstone. Many frames have legs you can adjust or bend.
• Floral foam: dry foam for silk, artificial or dried flowers, or water-absorbing wet foam for fresh flowers.
• Waterproof floral tape or floral wire to hold the foam on the frame. Hot glue is an option with dry foam.
• Greenery plus larger and smaller flowers. Silk flowers last longer outdoors, but some cemeteries allow artificial flowers only at certain times of year.
• A tape measure, wire cutters and a sharp, clean knife or floral shears.

How do you assemble a flower saddle, step by step?

1. Measure the thickness of the headstone at the top. Set or bend the saddle legs so the frame fits snugly without scraping the stone.
2. For fresh flowers, soak the wet foam first. Lay it on the water and let it sink on its own. Smithers-Oasis warns that pressing or turning foam under water traps air and leaves a dry core that pulls water out of the stems.
3. Fix the foam to the top of the frame. Press it onto the prongs if your frame has them, then wrap waterproof tape or floral wire around the foam and frame.
4. Insert greenery into the sides and ends first, angled down so the tips hang over and hide the frame.
5. Place the largest flowers along the center line to set the height, then work out toward both ends to build a low, even mound. Cut fresh stems at an angle (Smithers-Oasis suggests about 45°) with a sharp, clean blade so they go deep into the foam.
6. Fill the gaps with smaller flowers and more greenery until no foam shows from any side.
7. Set the saddle on the stone, check that it sits level and does not shift, and keep the height within any limit the cemetery publishes.

How do you keep a saddle from marking the headstone?

• Choose a frame with rubber or plastic tips, or pad any bare wire ends, so metal does not rub polished granite.
• Never glue, tape, nail or otherwise fix anything to the stone itself. The saddle should only rest on and grip the stone.
• Take fresh arrangements away once they fade. VA national cemeteries remove arrangements on their pick-up schedule or when they become withered, faded or unsightly.
• If the top of the stone needs cleaning after a saddle comes off, use the gentle method in our granite headstone cleaning guide.

What can you use if the cemetery does not allow saddles?

Use what the cemetery provides or permits. VA national cemeteries allow fresh cut flowers at any time of year in cemetery-supplied containers. Some private cemeteries allow a granite vase on the headstone base; Memory Stones lists granite vases and headstones with a vase in stock. Confirm the vase with the cemetery before you order.