Martinique is known for its beaches and volcanic landscapes, but it also has an exceptional plant heritage. Among the essential sites for discovering tropical flora, two places stand out in particular: the Balata Garden and the botanical garden of the Martinique Zoo.
These two gardens have one thing in common: they bear the imprint of the Martinican landscape designer Jean-Philippe Thoze. A passionate horticulturist, he devoted his life to the creation of immersive botanical landscapes, which have now become references in the Caribbean.
While the Balata Garden is world famous, the Martinique Zoo is also a veritable botanical garden in Martinique, which is still too often unknown for this dimension.
The Balata Garden: the most famous botanical garden in Martinique
Located on the Balata Road, about 10 km from Fort-de-France, the Balata Garden is now considered one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the Antilles.
The history of the site began in 1982 when Jean-Philippe Thoze undertook to rehabilitate his grandparents' family garden. Passionate about botany, he gradually established his tropical plant collection from his travels. The garden finally opened to the public on 19 April 1986.
Today, the site brings together about 3,000 species of tropical plants, including many varieties of palm trees, hibiscus, anthuriums or even heliconias.
But what is the strength of the Balata Garden is not only its vegetable collection. It is mainly its staging. Jean-Philippe Thoze imagined a real landscape path where colors, perspectives and volumes create an immersive experience.
The garden is also famous for its footbridges suspended in the trees that allow you to observe tropical vegetation from the canopy and admire the landscapes of northern Martinique.
Over the years, Balata has become an iconic place. For many Martinicans, it is a garden full of family memories. For visitors, it is often one of the first nature visits during a stay on the island.
Practical information — Balata Garden
- Address: Balata Road, Fort-de-France
- Opening hours: open every day generally from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Recommended length of visit: around 1h30 to 2h
- Ticket office: reservation possible online
Why visit:
- One of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the Caribbean
- Over 3,000 tropical species
- Canopy Walkways
- Panoramic view of Fort-de-France
To prepare for your visit, you can also consult our complete guide to visit the Balata Garden (internal network).
The Martinique Zoo: a unique botanical garden in the heart of a historic site
Less identified as such, the Martinique Zoo is however also a veritable botanical garden. Located in Le Carbet, between sea and mountains, it is part of an exceptional natural environment around the ruins of Habitation Anse Latouche.
This historic estate, founded in the 17th century, was largely destroyed during the eruption of Mount Pelée in 1902. The site was then rehabilitated and transformed into a botanical garden and zoological park, before the opening of the zoo in 2014.
Jean-Philippe Thoze participated in the landscape design of the site's botanical garden, in the continuity of his work carried out in Balata. There, he imagined arrangements adapted to the climate of the region, including different plant compositions.
The particularity of the Martinique Zoo is to offer a visit where botany is an integral part of the experience. Visitors discover animals by evolving in a carefully designed plant environment.
The park thus constitutes:
- A zoo
- A botanical garden
- A historic site
This approach provides a better understanding of tropical ecosystems. Vegetation is not only decorative: it is part of the educational discourse on biodiversity.
The zoo garden forms a real tropical setting where trees, ornamental plants and historical remains mingle. The ruins of the ancient house are integrated into the landscape, giving the site a unique atmosphere in Martinique.
This botanical dimension perfectly complements the discovery of animal species.
The zoo is now part of a logic of raising awareness about the conservation of biodiversity, by showing the links between animal species and their natural environment.
Practical information — Martinique Zoo
- Address: Habitation Anse Latouche — Le Carbet
- Opening hours: open every day generally from 9 am to 6 pm
- Recommended length of visit: about 2 hours
- Box office: tickets available online
Why visit:
- Tropical botanical garden
- Zoological park in the heart of a historic site
- Former 17th century sugar house
- Nature educational trail
- Exceptional natural setting between sea and mountains
To organize your visit, also consult our complete guide to prepare your visit to the Martinique Zoo (internal network).
Jean-Philippe Thoze: a major figure in the Martinique botanical gardens
Through Balata and the Martinique Zoo, Jean-Philippe Thoze has deeply marked the botanical landscape of the island.
His work is based on a simple vision: to introduce botany to the greatest number of people by creating gardens that are accessible, aesthetic and educational.
His creations are based on several principles:
- valorize tropical plants
- create immersive landscapes
- integrating history and the environment
- Raise awareness about biodiversity
Its heritage is now visible in two of the most visited natural sites in Martinique.
These two gardens are complementary:
Balata allows a purely botanical immersion while the Martinique Zoo offers a global approach combining nature, heritage and conservation.
For visitors who wish to discover a botanical garden in Martinique, these two sites are essential stops and offer two different but coherent visions of the work of this passionate landscape designer.
Moreover, Jean-Philippe Thoze's work was not limited to large gardens open to the public. He has also designed numerous private gardens in Martinique and internationally, helping to spread his tropical landscape approach.