You Wouldn't Expect To Discover 600 Varieties Of Trees At This Victorian-Era Cemetery In Kentucky
By Sarah McCosham|Published December 01, 2022
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
For most of us, cemeteries fall into one of two categories: hauntingly beautiful places that provide a final resting place for the deceased, or haunting places known for paranormal activity and spine-tingling terrors. Most of us don’t think of a cemetery as, say, a prime place for a stroll, but that’s precisely what Cave Hill Cemetery & Arboretum is. This Victorian-era cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky, is home to over 600 varieties of trees, making for an enchanting and nature-filled excursion in the least expected of places.
For many, cemeteries are a peaceful place. A place to come and remember those we've lost, taking comfort in the knowledge that they are in a better, more beautiful place -- whatever that may look like.
Gardens and trees, too, provide a similar sort of comfort. John Muir said that "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks," as Mother Nature really does provide the best kind of medicine.
So what happens when you combine both cemetery and arboretum, the deceased and the living? You get a place that's unspeakably, hauntingly beautiful. You get Cave Hill Cemetery & Arboretum.
In Louisville, Kentucky, Cave Hill Cemetery is a 296-acre Victorian-era National Cemetery that's undeniably beautiful. In addition to being home to over 100,000 interments, or grave sites, Cave Hill is also an arboretum that's home to hundreds of varieties of trees.
Since 2014, Cave Hill Cemetery has maintained official status as a Level II accredited arboretum with a burgeoning collection of over 600 different tree and shrub species. The cemetery is known for its sprawling, sublime tree species, which provide natural shade and umbrage over the gravesites.
This Kentucky cemetery is celebrated for its diverse and award-winning collection of trees, which include numerous varieties of magnolias, firs, oaks, and beech trees.
Since the beginning, Cave Hill has provided peace and comfort to the people of Louisville, Kentucky -- both living and deceased. You might not expect to discover a beautiful arboretum in the middle of this Victorian-era cemetery in Kentucky, but you'll be so grateful you did.
Have you wandered the grounds of this beautiful cemetery in Kentucky before? Cave Hill Cemetery & Arboretum is a lovely place to spend an afternoon here in the Bluegrass State.
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