Frequently Asked Questions

It is a simple and natural burial, without chemicals and in a casket made of more biodegradable materials such as unfinished wood, wicker, or cardboard. 

Some interesting links:

• https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/

• https://naturalburialassociation.ca/about-natural-burial/#:~:text=Principles%20of%20natural%20burial%3A&text=The%20body%20is%20placed%20in%20a%20biodegradable%20casket%20or%20wrapped,plant%2C%20or%20a%20communal%20dedication.

Yes, there are two locations similar to this that already exist in Québec. The orchard cemetery in Pierrefonds would be the third.

The current places are:

• https://www.coopfuneraireestrie.com/votre-cooperative/cimetiere-naturel-milieu-urbain/ 
• https://lessentiers.ca/

Yes, if possible, we would like to continue with garden centre and the nursery.

The idea began in grief, but it grew into something larger.

My 26-year-old brother, Gregory Girgis, was killed by a drunk driver while walking home from work in Toronto. After his passing, I struggled to visit his grave. A tombstone felt so final. Cold. Still. And seeing his name etched in stone only deepened the ache.

But the month after he died, we planted a tree for him at home. That tree changed everything. It’s full of life: visited by birds in the morning, standing tall in all seasons. It doesn’t mark the end. It reminds me of him living.

That was the beginning.

And over time, the idea has become something even deeper. I'm tired of watching the world be covered in concrete. Tired of hearing how we're failing the earth. Tired of the complaining and the inaction.

I want to build something. Something living.

I want to create the kind of world I wish existed: one rooted in beauty, nourishment, and hope.

Not just for me, but for my children. And their children.

The orchard cemetery is my way of doing that. A place where grief can grow into something meaningful. A place where memory feeds the earth. A place to leave behind more trees, more abundance, more creation, more life, and less sadness.

My name is Sarra Muñoz. I live in Pierrefonds, Quebec. I’m a mother, a wife, a daughter, and a marketing professional. I hold an MBA from a business school in Bordeaux, and I speak English, French, and Spanish. But titles and credentials only say so much.

In 2022, my younger brother Gregory was killed by a drunk driver while walking home from work in Toronto. He was 26. That night split my life in two: before and after.

In the weeks that followed, I planted a tree in his honour, a serviceberry tree, just outside our home. It wasn’t planned, but it brought me peace. The tree blooms quietly, visited by birds. It stands in the middle of our days. Unlike his grave, it doesn’t just remind me of death. It reminds me that love continues. That life returns. That grief, too, can grow roots.

From that seed, this dream of an orchard cemetery began to form. A place where grief can bloom, and where memory is held not only in stone, but in living things. Where burial isn't the end, but the beginning of something natural, nourishing, and gently transformative.

This isn’t just a project. It’s part of my own healing, and a vision I’m growing for others who are looking for something more. For those who wonder if there’s a better way to say goodbye —and a better way to stay connected.

I’m not here as an expert. I’m here as someone who’s grieving, growing, and sowing a vision — one rooted in love, memory, and the future.

 We believe in letting life continue and that includes the fruit.

As the orchard cemetery grows, so too will the abundance it offers. While we’re still shaping how fruit harvesting will be handled, we’re guided by a few possibilities:

• Families may choose to collect fruit from their loved one’s tree, as a living connection and seasonal tradition.

• Excess fruit may be composted and returned to the soil to nourish the orchard itself.
   
• Fruit could be shared with local farms or community partners to support food sustainability.
   

Some may find it unusual to imagine fruit growing in a cemetery, but this is how nature works. In many parts of the world, life and death are not separated.

They exist in harmony. A fruit tree planted in memory becomes part of that cycle, offering nourishment, shelter, and continuity.

While food security isn’t the primary mission of the orchard cemetery, we recognize its growing importance. We see this project as a small but meaningful way to preserve biodiversity, reintroduce food forests, and inspire new ways of thinking about land, loss, and legacy.

After all, what greater act of love is there than leaving a legacy that nourish the earth, honours the past, and inspires the future?

Each tree becomes a quiet offering of memory, of nourishment, and of hope. 

An orchard cemetery is a memorial space where each burial is accompanied by the planting of a fruit tree. Rather than traditional tombstones, trees serve as living markers—symbols of memory, nourishment, and renewal. These trees contribute to biodiversity, support local ecosystems, and offer a deeply meaningful way to honour loved ones.

Not at all. In the Middle Ages, monastic communities often combined burial grounds with orchards and gardens. This pairing reflected the understanding that life and death are part of the same natural cycle. Our project draws from this historical practice and reimagines it for today’s ecological needs.

Fruit trees are a symbol of abundance and continuity. They provide food, shelter for pollinators, and beauty through the seasons. Many heritage fruit varieties are being lost due to industrial agriculture - we want to preserve them, one tree at a time, while giving families a meaningful and nourishing way to remember their loved ones.

The project is planned for the land surrounding the former garden centre in Montréal’s West Island. This green space has served the community for over six decades, and we’re committed to protecting it from urban development and transforming it into a legacy that will serve generations to come.

Yes. Families and loved ones will be welcome to visit the orchard cemetery, walk among the trees, and witness their growth through the years. We imagine it not only as a place for remembrance, but also as a place for reflection, healing, and connection to nature.

Yes. The orchard cemetery model promotes conservation, natural burials, biodiversity, and carbon absorption. By planting trees instead of monuments, we support a regenerative cycle that honours both the earth and those who rest beneath it.

For those who wish to leave behind more than a stone. For families who want their legacy to nourish the land and speak to future generations. And for all who believe that remembrance can be rooted in beauty, purpose, and life.