Floral tributes at the South London Crematorium and Streatham Park Cemetery, London Borough of Lambeth, early in November 2015.

The dog, photographed on 4 November,  was placed on the grave of Pearl Esme Taylor, who died aged 88 on 10 October 2015.

The chess-board, photograped on 2 November, was in memory of Surtharampillai Kanthavanathan, who was cremated on 1 November.

Both were made mainly of white chrysanthemum flowers, some of which had been dyed black, apparently by having a dye sprayed on to them.  The chess-board had real chess-men attached.  The dog had glass eyes and a real collar, ears made of what looked to be foliage of a species of Asparagus which had been dyed black, and a tail of another species of Asparagus and a palm frond which had been dyed white.

Mrs Taylor’s grave was also decorated with a arrangement, largely composed of non-plant materials, which depicted a seashell with a pearl inside it, thus referring to her first name.

These tributes were exceptional; most of the flowers sent to cremations and funerals were less personal and of standard designs which could have been used for anyone.