63. THE BRIDGE OF FLOWERS IN SHELBURNE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS

What do you do with an old, defunct trolley bridge that has become an eyesore? You turn it into a one-of-a-kind flowering landmark! That is what The Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club in Massachusetts did almost 100 years ago. The bridge was built for trolleys to cross the Deerfield River in 1908. But the trolley railway went out of business in 1927 and it sat idle for several years. In 1929, with the bridge covered in weeds, local residents Antoinette and Walter Burnham came up with the idea of transforming the bridge into a garden. The community liked their idea, since the bridge carried a water main and could not be demolished. After 80 loads of topsoil were deposited on the bridge, and donated plants and flowers were installed, the concrete structure was reborn as the Bridge of Flowers.

Today, the 400-foot-long, five-arched concrete bridge is a flower-lover’s dream. There are over 500 varieties of flowers, vines, and shrubs growing together. There is always something in bloom from April to October, beginning with violets and spring bulbs and ending with dahlias and chrysanthemums. The colorful flowers, some of which are rare or historical varieties, border both sides of a narrow walkway in the center of the bridge. Each flower type is labeled to satisfy the interest of visitors who come from all over the world.

In 1983, the Bridge of Flowers was completely renovated at a cost of a half-million dollars. Over 500 individuals, businesses, and organizations donated to the campaign. Every plant was removed from the bridge and was cared for in private gardens during the restoration. The Shelburne Falls Area Women’s Club continues to sponsor and volunteer in weeding and caring for the plants each week, making sure the bridge garden is looking its best. Head gardener Carol DeLorenzo has overseen the garden for over 20 years and recently accepted the Bee Spaces pollinator award on behalf of the pollinator-friendly Bridge of Flowers.

For an extensive list of the flowers and shrubs you can expect to see on the awe-inspiring Bridge of Flowers, and their time of bloom, go to their website: www.bridgeofflowersmass.org. The Bridge of Flowers is open from April 1 through October 30.

Red poppies grow within a mix of blue and lavender cornflowers (Centaurea cyanus) on the Bridge of Flowers. The extensive variety of flowers growing here ensures that something is always in bloom. This unique public space is another “must visit” for every garden lover. Photo by Michele Fitzgerald.