We don’t often talk about it, naturally

They say the only two sure things in life are death and taxes. We are all always ready to give our views on taxes, but we mostly shy away from talking about death.

A proposal by a funeral directors to open an eco-friendly cemetery at Detling, however, is certain to spark a debate.

There are now thought to be around 300 such burial grounds across the country, called variously eco-friendly, green, or natural, and demand is growing.

The common factor is bodies are not embalmed, not buried in permanent caskets or coffins and there is no gravestone – though many allow mourners to plant a tree in memory of their loved one.

The idea is to allow the unrestrained natural composition of the body, rather than its preservation.

On the positive side, these burials save the use of a lot of quite harmful embalming chemicals, and allow the burial ground to take on the appearance of a natural meadow or woodland.

Yet the mourners still know it’s their loved one’s last resting place and can return to it if they feel the need.

Perhaps in today’s culture, with our greater consciousness of the need for recycling, it is only natural that green burials should hold more appeal.

There are two possible disadvantages. Green burial grounds still require long-term maintenance if they are to stay attractive.

Secondly, there is a general agreement that for health and safety reasons bodies should not be buried close to a natural watercourse.

That may yet prove the undoing of the Detling application, as the site contains several ponds and a stream.