Hurricane Helene
In September 2024, Hurricane Helene forever changed the landscape of our beautiful gardens. The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge, which connected the west and east gardens, sustained much structural damage. The flood waters washed away the west riverbank, leaving no structure connecting the bridge to the land on the other side. Most of our 30 themed gardens were washed away or buried under massive amounts of sand. The famous Rainbow Bridge, where visitors left beloved pets’ collars, was completely washed away.
With help from about 40 volunteers with the nonprofit organization Spokes of Hope, we were able to recover a few garden areas on both the east and west ends. These volunteers, from both North and South Carolina, worked alongside some of our own volunteers for several days clearing sand and debris, power washing remaining garden paths, and helping lay down mulch for future garden areas.
In spite of this devastation, the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge volunteers remained dedicated to the mission to maintain gardens that are enjoyable, inspirational and used to educate people about gardening and its health and environmental benefits. The planning process is ongoing, so stay tuned. There is more to come!
We believe in tomorrow
The late actress Audrey Hepburn once said “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” We think it’s the perfect theme for us in 2025. Today: We are planning, designing, and working toward creating new garden spaces when the time is right. Our volunteers are creative and extremely dedicated, and while we don’t know what the new gardens will look like, we are excited about the possibilities our blank canvas presents. We also expect to open our Education Center in 2025, which will enable us once again to offer classes and workshops on a wide variety of topics.
The last few months have been tough, but we have a good thing going. Today: The Flowering Bridge organization remains committed to preserving as much as we can and continuing forward. Today: If you visit the Flowering Bridge, please make sure to stay on the walkways. Lake Lure businesses are open; however, Chimney Rock Village is still closed to the public. Its merchants have temporary shops set up in the Marketplace area of the Tryon Equestrian Center until spring 2025.
Today: we are filled with deep gratitude for the hundreds of comments on our social media sites, for the unwavering support that the Flowering Bridge has received, and for the donations we have received following Hurricane Helene. Continue to watch our Facebook and Instagram pages for current and accurate information as we continue our recovery. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Please continue to check our Facebook page for updates
Lake Lure Flowering Bridge
3070 Memorial Hwy
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.
