Having decided on a self-drive tour we collected the car, stowed the picnic and readied the map. We had decided to go first to the botanical Jardin de Balata, one of the major attractions of Martinique 12 kilometres north of the capital Fort de France and lying in the tropical forest near Martinique's Carbet Mountains. This would be our furthest destination and we chose the longer cross country route which would give us a good feel for the island en route. We all enjoy visiting unusual gardens so a good start to the day.

Our cross country drive was one of contrasts. Being part of France and the European Union Martinique is wealthier and consequently much more developed and urbanised compared to the big islands of Grenada, St Vincent and St Lucia further south. Calling itself the island of flowers we felt that the majority of those that we saw where in urban gardens and related areas. What is more abundant and largely better maintained is the road network but this doesn't make it such an attractive place. We had to get much further into the island for the landscape to feel more like the tropical Caribbean. This happened as we neared the Carbet Mountains and the forested area around them.

Within this setting the Jardin de Balata was an extraordinary feast of magnificent plants beautifully presented in 2-3 hectares of tiered land affording a surprisingly joyful and tranquil experience. The history of this garden has strong echoes of Montreal Gardens in St Vincent. This is also a private garden developed by a landscape gardener and horticulturalist on former farmland and set in the rain forest surrounded by mountains, in this case the Pitons du Carbet give the picturesque views which compliment the gardens via its excellent viewpoints.

This botanic garden was begun in 1982 by Jean-Philippe Thoze who created it around his grandparents' typical creole house. This lovely house can be explored on the way into the gardens with its period furniture, objects and décor giving a feel for its time in the Caribbean past. Leaving the house to enter the garden there are two hummingbird feeding stations where these gorgeous birds, purple throated, emerald backed, as well as the odd colourful tit take their fill before flying off into the garden.

There are about 3,000 varieties of tropical plants from around the world, including 300 types of palm trees, we had no idea there were so many varieties. The trees include the mighty mahogany and there is spectacular collection of bamboos, tall and graceful with a whispering habit that is calm and soothing. It also has good collections of anthuriums, begonias and heliconia but the stars of the show are the slow growing cycads with their woody trunks and fern-like foliage, and the bromeliads growing on trees and stumps with their colourful bracts and colourful long lasting blooms both plentiful and very well presented.

The garden is softened by water with a number of Zen ponds planted with water lilies which lend a delicate charm when sited near the bromeliads and cycads. There is also a fishpond which really attracts visitors with its profusion of very active, if a little over-crowed fish amongst the lily pads.

One of the really enjoyable things in the garden was the tree top walk 15 metres up on a trail of hanging bridges, with safety nets, that are anchored into the mahogany trees. This is fun to do and offers a wonderful view of the entire botanical garden. A wholly unforgettable experience.