Watereri Scotts pine ornamental tree in Bolean Gardens, Folkland.
Image Credit: Submitted / Greg Koll
The four-acre botanical garden on the mountain above the Falkland Islands will be the first to tour this summer.
Horticulturist Brad Ulmer and his wife Colette have created Borian Gardens since they bought the property in 1998.
“This area was formerly used as a horse ranch,” he said. “When we started, native plants were eaten on the ground and there was no wildlife habitat.”
Since then, the garden has grown to include more than 500 types of strong trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials, with an increasing number of plants, insects, amphibians, birds and mammals.
Tourists to the farm can learn about plants and bees, share their knowledge and buy homemade ornamental flower bouquets, vegetables and fresh eggs from the farm.
“Once the garden was established, we attracted native birds and migratory birds stopped eating here,” Ulmer said. “Once there is enough diversity and balance, many fascinating things begin to happen.”
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The couple recently learned a lot about them, including starting to raise bees on the premises and splitting the hives to create new ones.
“We are now taking a more hands-free approach. Weeds are growing because the bees are eating the pollen of the weeds,” Ulmer said. “We let them do their thing in the wilderness and in certain areas where weeds are left alone.”
Visitors to the Borian Gardens can see a natural frog pond without pumps or filters that hold five different frogs. This is another part of the diversity added by the couple.
“There are currently about 1,000 tadpoles growing in the largest pond we have,” Ulmer said. “When they appear in two weeks, they spread and eat all the bugs. You don’t have to spray them on aphids or leafhoppers. Frogs provide a natural insect repellent.”
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Dozens of ornamental trees are cultivated on the premises, and native trees, shrubs, and perennials are cultivated and sold in the nursery.
“We grow native and ornamental plants and keep them away from invasive species,” says Ulmer. “Ornamental trees grow well here and accept insects eaten by native birds. Korean mountain ash supports a great deal of diversity, with some birds devouring berries and others. Suckes out sap. ”
Ulmer said he loves talking about gardening and exchanging gardening philosophies. What he loves most is witnessing the natural balance that occurs when enough diversity is created.
“Diversity creates a balance in which the population is no longer out of control,” he said. “Initially, I was fascinated by the colors and textures of plants and wanted to learn about them, and I saw insects, birds, and the complex dances that occur as the seasons change.”
The garden will be open for tours until October. The couple said the highland valleys were too cold and the paths were too slippery to tour during the winter.
It’s too early to decide if the garden will be a popular venture since the tour started within two months, but in most cases at least one customer or interested tourist. Stopped in and said they were offering a tour to the garden group.
“We’re doing better than we expected and we’re getting more local businesses, campers and people on vacation,” he said. “We just put up a new sign and hope it gets going.”
Bolean Gardens is located on 2038 Chase Falkland Road.
The tour is a donation.
Click here for more information or to book a tour.
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