I thought of a way to memorialize my 2 cats

Some of you may remember that I lost Willi and Hobbes exactly 1 month apart earlier this year. I'm still undecided about what to do with the ashes, but thought of a nice (and easy) way to make a memorial to them: the Memorial Catnip Garden!

I've always grown a pot of catnip for my guys; they're indoor cats, but I would bring in sprigs for them to enjoy. Well, today, I decided to re-vamp the backyard a little, and hit on the idea. I'm dumping crushed white marble chips in along the fence, and around, sort of in an curved "flower bed" to the rose garden (ok, it's only some rose bushes planted beside an archway, and I plan to place a bench under the trellis). Anyway, in the corner, I plan to have 3 huge pots of catnip, and to make a small placque--perhaps one of those do-it-yourself stepping stone kits (though it won't be a stepping stone to walk on). I'll carve something like: "In loving memory of Hobbes and Willi. Faithful and loving cats. 2009." In the rest of the "bed" I'll have pots of flowers.

I'm a gardener like you and know where you are coming from. I actually have Sweety's ashes still, waiting till I know she will be placed where it won't be disturbed. I would like to have her grow with a tree or a perennial shrub where I know I will be for a long time and she won't be disturbed........ Right now I live in NYC with a rooftop access, but it's not permanent.........

That is a beautiful way to memoralize your beloved cats. Sorry that you had to lose them like that. Be sure to take pics as you go.

I think that's a great idea. You'll probably have every indoor/outdoor cat in the neighborhood visiting the spot, enjoying a "hit", compliments of your RB babies.

That is a wonderful idea! I'm sure you will get every cat in the neighborhood in your yard but Willi and Hobbes would probably love sharing their catnip and rolling around at RB.

Thanks, everyone!

Actually, I never had a problem with neighboring cats in my yard, and I've grown a pot of catnip here for almost 5 years. I only ever see a tortie that's been around (don't think she's a stray) in my backyard, but nobody else touches the 'nip. (She just likes to terrorize my crew through the French doors every weekday, between 9-11 AM!). Also, I have a stockade fence around the backyard. We do get deer and groundhogs, though--the deer love my leaf lettuce and green bean leaves.

We seem to live in a dog neigborhood, too--very few kitties.

Oh, what a lovely idea! And your yard sounds so beautiful... please take pictures for us when it's all up and growing!

What a great idea post pictures when you have it finished.