iN PHOTOS: Botanic gardens open for tours in Falkland this summer
Four acres of botanic gardens in the mountains above Falkland is open for tours this summer for the first time.
Horticulturist Brad Ulmer and his wife Collette have been creating Bolean Gardens since purchasing the property in 1998.
“The area was formerly used as a horse ranch,” he said. “When we began the native plants were eaten to the ground and there wasn’t any wildlife habitat.”
The garden has since grown to include more than 500 varieties of hardy trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials and is home to increasing numbers of plants, insects, amphibians, birds and mammals.
Tourists to the farm can learn about plants and bees, share their own knowledge, and purchase homegrown ornamental flower bouquets, veggies and farm fresh eggs.
“As the gardens became established we attracted native birds and migratory birds stop to eat here,” Ulmer said. “A lot of fascinating things start to happen when you get enough diversity and a balance is created.”
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The couple recently started keeping bees on the property and have learned a lot about them, even splitting the hives and starting new ones.
“We are taking a more hands off approach now, letting weeds grow because the bees feed on pollen of the weeds,” Ulmer said. “We kind of let them do their thing in certain areas where we leave the wilderness and weeds alone.”
Visitors to Bolean Garden can expect to see natural frog ponds with no pumps or filters holding five different species of frogs, another part of the diversity the couple added.
“The biggest pond we have has about 1,000 tadpoles growing in it right now,” Ulmer said. “When they emerge in two weeks they will spread out and eat every bug. We don’t have to spray for aphids or leaf hoppers, the frogs do natural bug control for us.”
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There are dozens of ornamental tree varieties growing on the property and a nursery used to grow native trees, shrubs and perennials to sell.
“We grow native and ornamental plants and stay away from the invasive ones,” Ulmer said. “The ornamental trees do well up here and host insects eaten by native birds. The Mountain Ash from Korea supports so much diversity, some species of birds devour the berries while others suck out the sap.”
Ulmer said he loves talking about gardening and exchanging gardening philosophies. The thing he loves most is witnessing the natural balance that happens when enough diversity is created.
“Diversity creates a balance where populations no longer get out of control,” he said. “I initially fell in love with colours and textures of plants and I wanted to learn about them. And then I saw insects and birds and the complex dance that happens as the seasons change.”
The gardens will be open for tours until October. The couple said the high elevation valley is too cold and the pathways too slippery for doing tours in the winter months.
Ulmer said since opening for tours less than two months ago it is too early to say if the gardens will be a popular venture but that most days at least one customer or interested tourist stops by, and he has been giving tours to garden groups.
“We are doing better than I expected and getting more local businesses and campers and people on vacation,” he said. “We just put up a new sign and hope it is going to take off.”
Bolean Gardens is located at 2038 Chase Falkland Road.
Tours are by donation.
For more information or to book a tour, click here.
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