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3070 Memorial Hwy., Lake Lure, NC 28746
Open 7 days a week & always free
Send questions about this newsletter to:
marketing@LakeLureFloweringBridge.org
August 2023
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A Gateway to Somewhere Beautiful
Cheers to 10 Years!
2013 - 2023
| Our mission is to maintain gardens that are enjoyable, inspirational and used to educate people about gardening and its health and environmental benefits. | |
What We Love About Summer! | |
There is so much to love about summer in Lake Lure. The days are long, and the evenings are cool and breezy. The gardens at the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge are rich with colorful flowers and fragrant scents, the bees and butterflies are abundant, and the mountains surrounding us are lush! If you haven't been to the Bridge lately, there's still lots of summer left to take in some of our glorious blooms. We are especially excited about all our hibiscus plants, our Plant of the Month for August, which are thriving in the hot weather. | |
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Check out the rest of this newsletter and learn about our youngest volunteers, educational opportunities, scheduling group tours, and our upcoming plant sale in September! | |
Say hello to two of our favorites, Lady Baltimore (top) and Lord Baltimore (middle) in our Tropical Garden. And don't miss Starry, Starry Night (below) next to the Welcome Kiosk. | |
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The Berry Awesome hibiscus is nicknamed the "dinner plate hibiscus" because its blooms are often 8 inches across. Look for this showstopper in our Pollinator and Swing Gardens.
Did you know?
- Hibiscus flowers typically last only one day.
- Hibiscus plants come in all sizes with more than 200 different species in the world.
- Hibiscus can be either an annual or perennial plant.
- Hibiscus flowers can be rubbed on leather shoes to bring back their shine!
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We have several Crimson Eyed hibiscus (top) throughout our gardens including this one which welcomes you. The large red star shaped flowers of the Texas Star hibiscus (bottom) can be found in our Tropical Garden. | |
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Just one more month!
Every Season Is a Fairy Season
Now through September 4
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Volunteering: It's Not an Age Thing | |
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While most of our volunteers have retired after working years in various careers, meet Jackson Bell, a 15-year-old 10th grade student at the Lake Lure Classical Academy who joined our volunteer team earlier this summer. "I was looking for volunteer opportunities to fulfill my community service hours for the National Honor Society when I saw that the Flowering Bridge is run by volunteers," says Jackson, " I signed up as soon as I could."
Jackson encourages other kids his age to give volunteering a try. In fact, his friend Mason Lander (below) and fellow National Honor Society member has recently joined our team.
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Above, Jackson explains that an isopod provides about the same benefits to the garden as worms, and that it's often called a "rolypoly" because it will roll into a ball when threatened.
"My experience has been really engaging, and it's always nice to see people enjoying the environment," says Jackson. "I think that if you have the spare time, you should try volunteering."
Join Our Team!
If you've thought of volunteering in the past, why not take the leap today! If gardening isn't your thing, we have lots of other opportunities for you. Find out more at LLFB.org.
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Mentoring New Gardeners
Charlotte Gardner, Polk County Master Gardener and 11-year Bridge
volunteer, has been mentoring Jackson, and now Mason. "It's refreshing to experience the dedication and passion that Jackson, and recently Mason, are displaying when they work with me," she says.
Both Jackson and Mason were working in the gardens recently when a AAA tour was conducted. "The folks on the bus tour were impressed by our young volunteers," says Charlotte. "I'm more than willing to share my lifelong gardening experience and expertise with any young person who shows an interest in the ecology and survival of our planet."
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Education Opportunities
Plan to Attend These Upcoming Classes
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Harvesting and
Preserving Herbs
August 22 – 10 am
Master Gardener and LLFB volunteer Charlotte Gardner will teach you how to harvest your herbs and preserve them for future use in your kitchen. This class is free and open to the public. In the event of rain, it will be held at the Lake Lure Town Hall back entrance.
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Winterize Your Garden
September 26 – 10 am
Whether we want to think about it or not, winter will be here before we know it. Fall is a great time to prepare your garden for the cold, wet days ahead. Join long-time gardener Maryann Brown as she shares tips with you for winterizing your garden and protecting your plants from winter's cold.
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Classes are free and open to the public and are
held at the Welcome Terrace. Watch our
Facebook page for last minute details.
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Let Us Help with a
Teaching Moment
We recently had a make-your-own terrarium event. The kids at right were provided with all they needed to make their own small terrarium to take home, including instruction provided by volunteers Paige Massey and Lynn Lang.
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With school starting soon, there are many learning opportunities at the Bridge. Fall is an ideal time to plan an educational event. Email us for more information and scheduling. | |
Save the Date!
LLFB Plant Sale
September 28 & 30
9 am – 1 pm
Mark your calendars and plan to come to our huge plant sale. All plants are either from the Flowering Bridge or our volunteers' gardens. Proceeds from the sale will go toward our Education Center project. Watch for more details in September's newsletter and on our Facebook page.
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We love hosting tours and we've already had many this summer. Tours come in all shapes and sizes and no group is too small or too big. We work with you to plan your tour to meet your needs and interests. It's best to schedule ahead of time so that we can ensure that guides are present (if requested) and volunteers are working in their gardens and available to answer questions. We can also have plants and merchandise for sale if you'd like. With cooler days ahead, the fall is an ideal time to tour the gardens. Email us to schedule a tour today.
Pictured above is a AAA Bus Tour in partnership with Our State magazine held in July.
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Mr. McGregor Says...
Hey Kids! Just a few more weeks before you head back to school. I hope you're looking forward to school this year, buying cool, new school supplies, meeting new teachers and classmates and hanging out with old pals, and maybe getting involved in a sport or club. I always like taking my grandchildren to their first day of school because it gives me a day off from chasing rabbits in my garden! Study hard and don't forget to come visit me often.
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Friends of the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge is a volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations to help preserve and maintain the Bridge gardens and to support our new Education Center are always appreciated – and tax-deductible. | |
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