LAKE LURE, N.C. — EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story had a headline that said the Rainbow Bridge was recovering. This is incorrect. There are currently no plans to rebuild the bridge at this time.
Nearly two months after Helene destroyed the 30 gardens of the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge (LLFB), the grounds are slowly returning to their former glory.
Volunteers from across the Carolinas recently spent 3 days clearing silt and mud. Forty Spokes of Hope volunteers from North and South Carolina, along with LLFB volunteers, dug out mounds of sand on garden paths, cleared debris, and pressure washed the paths.
These volunteers also sifted through the sand looking through sand looking for commemorative bricks and other garden artifacts.
In all, 398 of the original 724 bricks have been recovered and placed in their original locations. The commemorative bricks honor or memorialize a loved one, a friend or a beloved pet.
Lake Lure Flowering Bridge recovery
The beloved Rainbow Bridge was also washed away from the garden grounds by Helene's floodwaters. LLFB says there are no plans to rebuild the bridge that honored pets because the gardens are still in the recovery phase and it will be some time before the rebuilding phase begins.
Other gardens on the property were also destroyed including the Peter Rabbit Children's Garden, the Pollinator Garden, a Secret Garden and a Heather Garden.
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