GARDEN HIGHLIGHTS
EDUCATIONAL KIOSK
The Friends of the Flowering Bridge volunteers designed an eight-panel educational kiosk, which was installed and dedicated in the spring of 2019. Each panel has a focus.
• A Map of a Gateway to Somewhere Beautiful welcomes you to the gardens.
• Our History includes photos of the development of the gardens from 2011 through today including one of the volunteers who have made this happen. The stories of how they built and maintain the gardens are of particular interest.
• Plants for All Seasons shows how the look of the gardens changes with the seasons and highlights a plant of the month.
• You’ve Got Mail is our whimsical way of sharing educational information with visitors. Hand painted mailboxes house forms, brochures and other printed material.
• All About the Birds and the Bees showcases native bees and the birds found in Hickory Nut Gorge year-round and seasonally.
• Float Like a Butterfly highlights the life cycle and habitats of butterflies. An interactive
true/false butterfly facts game surprises visitors with some of the answers!
• Mountains to Main Street shares the varied activities that Rutherford County provides.
• The Lure of Hickory Nut Gorge tells the unique story of who we are, how we live and the importance of the gorge that cradles us.
Commemorative Bricks Along the Paths
Commemorative bricks line the Atrium and Kiosk pathways on the west end, as well as the Founders Circle on the east end gardens. Visitors visit the gardens to browse the bricks. We regard these commemorative bricks as special memorials as do all of our supporters. Bricks that were recovered after Hurrican Helene have been lovingly replaced in their origial locations.
The “Say it With A Brick” fundraiser that not only helps sustain the organization but also encourage residents, guests and their friends to connect with this unique attraction. More about our Comemorative Bricks.
Franklin Tree – “the rarest of the rare native trees”
Discovered by botanists John Bartram (1699-1777) and his son, William (1739-1823), in a small grove along Georgia’s Altamaha River in 1765, the Franklin Tree (Franklinia alatamaha) was named in honor of their friend Benjamin Franklin. Our most historic plant is a member of the tea family. Its white flowers bloom in late August and may continue blooming as its leaves change to red in October. The Franklin Tree, or lost camellia, disappeared completely from the wild by 1803. Only through the efforts of the Bartrams did this truly Native American plant survive. All cultivated plants in existence today descend from one or more of their collected specimens.
Lake Lure Flowering Bridge
PO Box 125
Lake Lure, NC 28746
Lake Lure Flowering Bridge is a volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Donations to help preserve and maintain the bridge and gardens are appreciated — and tax-deductible.
