New Lake Lure Flowering Bridge Gardens are in the works! We know many residents and visitors are excited to see our progress and we are pleased to share a preview of the new west end gardens with you.
Our design task force has made much progress in planning our new gardens. Sixteen themed gardens have been planned, and initial plantings for the Swing with a View, Woodland Fairy Garden, All Twisted Up Garden and Butterfly Haven Garden are already in place. New paver pathways lead to these gardens, made possible by a generous donation from SiteOne Landscape Supply in Hendersonville. The installation work will be done by Jay Hardin of Avery Creek Nursery in Columbus. This work is supported by a grant from the United Way of Rutherford County.
Our Education Center is open, and we are currently holding garden-related classes for the public. Our full list of classes and how to register can be found on our website.
The Return of the Swing Garden
Visitors to our gardens before the storm will remember the Swing Garden that was located on a slope with a view of Chimney Rock above. Both the garden and swing were destroyed during Hurricane Helen. The damaged swing was recovered and repaired by volunteer Dan Cook. Today, a new Swing Garden is being built, and volunteers have installed the swing near its original location. We are grateful to the Two Green Thumbs Garden Club, who is the sponsor of this garden. Visitors enjoying a quiet moment in the swing will once again be able to look up to see a view of Chimney Rock. It will also be a perfect place to view the new Rainbow Bridge.
Coming later this year – The New Rainbow Bridge Garden
The original Rainbow Bridge was a favorite for pet owners, honoring lost pets by leaving collars and tags. The new garden is being designed by Paul Zimmerman, who is a rose consultant for Biltmore Estate and is also known for his instructional videos on the Jackson Perkins website. The garden will surround the Rainbow Bridge,and it will feature a large 80-foot winding brook. The Rainbow Bridge will cross over the water feature. Amy Wald, who built the original Rainbow Bridge, is creating a special section for about 470 collars that were found after the storm. Visitors will be able to enjoy time with their furry friends here. There will be space to place collars of lost pets on the Rainbow Bridge railings. We are very grateful to the Vaughn-Jordan Foundation, who is sponsoring this garden. The Rainbow Bridge Garden would not be possible without their support.
Thank you to everyone that has contributed to our progress. We have much more coming on both ends of the gardens. We are excited to share updates with you and invite you to visit us in person, or virtually at lakelurefloweringbridge.org and be a part of our rebuilding story. As Audrey Hepburn famously said, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”