The Botanical Gardens are a must according to several cruisers. So up we got, breakfast and a game of backgammon to begin the day, watched a bit of rain, sun came out, swim, shower and off we went, with a treat circling over the Beez – a Falcon (Bear took this shot for me). From the town it is a pretty steep walk that took us twenty five minutes to reach the seven hectare garden. It is open daily; the admission fee is fourteen Euros fifty, open daily from nine thirty to four thirty, out by five thirty. I squeaked a bit at the cost but had two twenty Euro notes tucked in my Bad Taste Bear bag, saved since we went to see the Rolling Stones in Paris in July 2006. That got us in and bought a snack lunch. We were so impressed by all the clear labels in front of each plant.

 

The property started life as the rare plant collection of Guy Blandin. From 1979-1986 the site was home to French comedian Coluche. After Coluche's death in 1986, nurseryman Michel Gaillard purchased the property in 1991 with the idea of creating a botanical garden. The garden opened in 2001

 

 

                                                                                                                    Bear managed a little 'goat whispering'.

 

 

Today the garden contains more than a thousand species set along 1.5 kilometers of pathways through fifteen different garden areas, including an arboretum of Araucaria, avocado, baobab, bombax, breadfruit tree, calliandra, jacaranda and royal palms; an aviary; (the noise of these Swainson Lorikeets was deafening - not a choice as a pet).

 

 

 

Bamboo; a banyan tree; cactus; ferns, bromeliads, and epiphytic plants; flamingos (own blog); macaws (own blog); hibiscus and bougainvillea; orchid collection; palm tree collection; pond with water lilies, papyrus and aquatic plants; and a thirty foot man-made waterfall. Visiting Hummingbird. Hurricane Hugo did some damage in 1989. Whilst we saw nothing too exceptional to anything we have seen before, what was striking was the condition of the plants looked after by an enthusiastic and happy team of gardeners who obviously take pride in showing the plants to peak condition.

The view from the top, Beez mast bottom right

 

 

 

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A hummingbird in the car park

 

On the walk home we saw a couple of 'careful owners'

 

This appealed to Bears sense of humour

 

 

ALL IN ALL A GREAT DAY OUT

                     A LOVELY, COLOURFUL SUMMARY OF TROPICAL FLORA