3070 Memorial Hwy., Lake Lure, NC 28746

Open 7 days a week & always free

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marketing@LakeLureFloweringBridge.org

July 2024

Our mission is to maintain gardens that are enjoyable, inspirational and used to

educate people about gardening and its health and environmental benefits.

July Is the Time to Celebrate Summer

By July, we're all getting our summer on! At the Flowering Bridge we have much happening to help you enjoy your summer days. Take a stroll through our two fairy trails, find a shady bench and watch the butterflies and bees, or enjoy our beautiful blooms and decide which is your favorite. You can also check out the progress of construction on our new Education Center and take our July class on native plant gardening. Keep reading to find out more.

It's Getting Real!

On June 10, our dream of building an onsite Education Center became real when we broke ground. Attended by Lake Lure town leadership, our builders, K Enterprises, volunteers, and other visitors, this event signified taking the Bridge experience to the next level. When you visit this summer, check out the construction progress. We are very excited to have the building completed and to plan a Grand Opening Celebration. Watch this newsletter for more information.

Lake Lure mayor pro tem David DiOrio said it best: "The Flowering Bridge puts Lake Lure on the map and is the gem of Western North Carolina."

Volunteers posed with shovels to symbolically "break ground."

Builder Eric Kunath told onlookers: "The flowering bridge has preserved a piece of history."

The front of the building features a large glass garage door that will bring the outside in, and the porch area will include seating. The rustic porch posts and shake shingles add to the facade, in keeping with our mountain environment.

Board chairwoman Kathy Tanner describes features of the inside: a large classroom area that will include exhibits and AV equipment, an office area for volunteers, a retail shop, and a restroom.

Surrounding the building will be a courtyard with picnic tables and plantings.

Fairy Trails

Now Through September 10

Did you know that fairies bring joy and laughter to the world? These playful spirits enjoy music, wind chimes and bells, and shiny things catch their attention. Want to attract fairies to your garden? One way is to hang small bells by stringing them on ribbons or small hangers. As you hang each bell say:

Fairy bell so bright and clear

Bring the laughing fairies near.

As they dance upon the air,

Let them spread their magic there.

When the bells begin to ring,

May the fairies come and sing.

Fairy magic, old and wise,

Bless this place before my eyes.

Go Native with Native Plants

Tuesday, July 23

10:00 – 11:30 am

One of the newest trends in gardening is growing a native garden. Not sure what is native gardening or how to start? Join Master Gardener and our Education Director Debbie Clark and learn about native gardening and its relationship with animals, insects and other organisms in our ecosystem.

This class is free and open to the public. Bring a chair with you for comfort. Due to limited parking at the Bridge during construction of our new Education Center, please park at the Lake Lure Welcome Center at Morse Park, which is a short walk to the Bridge. In case of rain, please check our Facebook page for more information.

Did you know we have many native plants throughout our gardens. We have a native designation on plant signs to help you identify them.

Volunteers in Action

Volunteer Spotlight:

Nancy Longanecker

Volunteer Nancy Longanecker was born and raised in Miami, Florida. But 12 years ago, her cousin invited her to our area for Thanksgiving. "I was hooked," says Nancy, "and blessed to purchase a home in Bat Cave in 2015."

In Florida, she spent many years as a professional swimming instructor, and Nancy now splits her time between here and Tampa. She was introduced to the Bridge by friend and fellow volunteer Geneva Matteis. "The guys and gals volunteering at the Bridge are a joy to be around. I consider it a privilege to be even a small part of the effort that goes into the Bridge experience."

"You can find me on occasion buzzing around the Prairie Garden, which is near the potting shed. I hope to see you there!"

We'd like to give a big shout out to our volunteers who helped make our Pollinator Week celebration a huge success. Visitors learned about bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, and what plants support these essential creatures. Children created a special butterfly art project to take home and listened to stories from Miss Bee and Marjorie Monarch. We'd like to thank everyone who attended and learned more about the important role of pollinators, and for supporting the Bridge with donations and purchases of merchandise and plants.

Welcome to Our Team!

We'd like to welcome Betty Lowery, a new volunteer this month.

If you're interested in volunteering with us, click here and fill out our volunteer form.

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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