Bridge of Flowers, Pedestrian garden bridge in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts.
The Bridge of Flowers is a former railway bridge that crosses the Deerfield River, joining Shelburne Falls and Buckland as a walkway for pedestrians. Its arches and supporting piers hold layers of soil that sustain hundreds of plant varieties.
The structure was built in 1908 as a railway bridge for freight trains and stopped operating in 1927. Local residents then transformed it into a garden in 1929.
The bridge gardens are tended by the Shelburne Falls Area Women's Club, which changes the plantings with the seasons. Visitors walking across notice how the community takes care of this shared place year after year.
The crossing is free and open year-round, though flowers and plants reach their peak from April through October. Parking is available nearby, and you can easily walk to local shops and dining options.
The structure holds substantial layers of soil engineered to support plant growth on its surfaces. This innovative approach allows hundreds of plant species to flourish on what was once purely industrial infrastructure.
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