Tree Carving Program

The tree carving program allows us to preserve some of the natural heritage of our grounds and provides a second life to heritage trees that otherwise would be cut due to age or disease.

Beechwood Cemetery values both the beauty of the trees and continues to plant new trees each year.

The Next Beginning

What started as a pilot project is now a favourite at Beechwood and visited by many people. The Next Beginning can be found in between section 34 and 35 of Beechwood Cemetery. Artist Pierre Van Adrichem’s mandate was to carve animals found across Canada, from the West Coast’s grizzly bear all the way to the East Coast’s puffin and many animals found in between. The Next Beginning piece took Peter Van Adrichem about three weeks of work. 

The Tree of Tulips

In honour of the 35,000 tulips planted each year, the Tree of Tulips represents spring renewal and the return of colour on our grounds. This piece is found on the edge of section 51 E. The Tree of Tulips took Peter Van Adrichem about three weeks of work.

100th Anniversary of Armistice Tree

On the corner of the Veterans Section (Section 27), stands a large and historic tree. This tree was at the end of its life cycle, ready to be cut down. This tree is a commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of Armistice. It has three maple leafs, each one representing a branch of the Canadian Armed Forces, fifty-eight poppies representing each a battle honour received by our forces during WW1 and a stack of Brodie helmets, the only head protection for our brave soldiers. This carving will stand tall for years, quietly reminding the cost and sacrifice of WW1. The tree took Peter Van Adrichem about four weeks of work.