Gardeners and volunteers are digging out plants – including trees – from a mature garden on an iconic bridge that closes today ahead of repair work.
The concrete Bridge of Flowers over the Deerfield River in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, USA, attracts visitors from all over the world, eager to admire its display of plants.
The 122m bridge has five spans and was built in 1908 for a trolley service. In 1929, the railway ceased running but the bridge, which also carries a crucial watermain, was too costly to demolish. The Shelburne Falls Women’s Club, supported by volunteers, loaded the bridge with fresh soil and planted a garden on it. It was last rehabilitated in 1983, and was flooded during Storm Irene in 2011.
An assessment by engineers Tighe and Bond in 2019 identified structural deficiencies. The rehabilitation will address these and improve the bridge’s resiliency while allowing for the installation of a new water main. The bridge will also get new lighting and improved irrigation, and new railings. The work is funded by a US$2.28million grant from MassWorks infrastructure programme.
The Bridge of Flowers is owned by The Shelburne Falls Fire District, which provides emergency and water services to the town. It is run by The Bridge of Flowers Committee.
The Bridge of Flowers will re-open in spring 2025.
