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St. Albans National Cemetery in Queens: Flower Rules, Hours and Finding a Grave

What to know before visiting St. Albans National Cemetery in Queens: visiting and office hours, the grave locator and kiosk, who runs the cemetery, and the floral rules the managing cemetery posts for fresh and artificial flowers.

By Fern2 min read

St. Albans National Cemetery is a small VA national cemetery in southeast Queens, a few minutes from JFK Airport. It is a quiet, orderly place with the straight rows of white headstones that mark every national cemetery, and it has rules worth knowing before you bring flowers. Here is what the Department of Veterans Affairs publishes about it.

Where it is and when it is open

  • Address: 177-33 Baisley Boulevard, Queens, NY 11434. The VA notes that mail should not be sent to this address.
  • Phone: 718-298-8545.
  • Visiting hours: open daily, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
  • Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, closed on federal holidays except Memorial Day and Veterans Day. On Memorial Day it is open 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

The VA lists St. Albans as managed by Long Island National Cemetery in Farmingdale, so questions about policy go to the Long Island staff through the number above.

Finding a grave

A kiosk at the cemetery prints directions to a grave, and the VA's nationwide gravesite locator lists everyone buried here, searchable by name before you leave home. Our guide to finding a veteran's grave walks through the locator and the Veterans Legacy Memorial, the VA's online memorial page for each veteran.

Who can still be buried here

St. Albans is cremation only for new burials: cremated remains can be placed in an in-ground gravesite or in a columbarium niche. A casketed family member can still be buried in an existing family gravesite if there is room. Families with a relative already here should call the cemetery about a subsequent interment.

Flower rules

The VA page for St. Albans says to contact the cemetery for its floral and grounds policy, so call before a special trip. Long Island National Cemetery, which manages St. Albans, posts the policy it follows, and it is the best guide to what to expect:

  • Fresh-cut flowers may be placed on graves at any time of year.
  • Artificial and potted flowers are allowed only from October 10 through April 15.
  • Items must be floral and may not be taller than the headstone. Nothing may be attached to a headstone.
  • Winter holidays: from Thanksgiving through January 10, potted plants, artificial flowers, wreaths under 18 inches and grave blankets under 2 by 3 feet are permitted, and may stay until the January 20 cleanup. Christmas trees are not allowed.
  • Memorial Day and other mowing-season holidays: items may be placed the Friday before and are removed the following Thursday.
  • Not permitted: glass, metal, toys, candles, balloons and non-U.S. flags. Unauthorized items are removed and held for 30 days.
  • No permanent plantings of any kind.

For how these rules compare across the VA system, see our guide to flowers at a national cemetery.

Silk flowers are in season at St. Albans from October 10 to April 15, so a BloomBridge Runner can place the American Flag arrangement at the headstone, under its height, and send you a photo of it in place. See our New York cemetery pages.

The grounds rules are the same as at every VA cemetery: no pets, picnicking, sports or loud music, and firearms are prohibited on VA property. Rules can change, so confirm with the cemetery before a holiday visit.

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Frequently asked questions

The VA lists visiting hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and on Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

The managing cemetery, Long Island National Cemetery, allows artificial and potted flowers from October 10 through April 15 and during the winter holiday period. The VA page for St. Albans says to contact the cemetery to confirm its policy.

For cremated remains, yes, in-ground or in a columbarium niche. A casket burial is possible only in an existing family gravesite with space, so call the cemetery about a subsequent interment.