Special forget-me-not

Delicate flowers with heart-shaped leaves - and a forget-me-not to boot: the perennial of the year is ideal for planting at gravesites. Brunnera macrophylla, known as the Caucasian forget-me-not, has been awarded this title for 2025 by the Association of German Perennial Gardeners because of its special appeal. It blooms sky blue or white from April to June, after which its patterned leaves conjure up welcome light reflections even in shady locations. The best-known variety, "Jack Frost", is reminiscent of a plant covered in hoar frost due to its green and white leaf pattern. It is as uncomplicated as it is robust and can also withstand cold winters.

The bird of the year 2025 can also be found in cemeteries from spring to fall: The black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) is one of the feathered early risers and likes to let its idiosyncratic "song" ring out before the sun rises. According to NABU, its crunching, rattling and fluting sounds are reminiscent of the "noise of a television set". As a cultural successor, the migratory bird, which is originally native to the mountains, also feels at home in cities - it finds its main source of food, insects, especially in natural gardens such as Offenbach's cemeteries. In contrast to the common redstart, which also has an orange breast, the gray-black common redstart only has a rusty red body part.