An overview of Marrakech – Part 15

Parks and Gardens

Marrakech’s has numerous gardens and parks, a summary of which is shown after the section below. However the most famous is probably a legacy from an expatriate French painter named Jacques Majorelle (1886–1962), who considered himself what he called a “gardenist”. He came to Marrakech in 1919 to recuperate from heart problems and immediately saw the potential of southern Morocco. In 1924, he acquired land and set about creating a botanical sanctuary around his studio. He opened his gardens to the public in 1947 and they remained a popular attraction until his death 15 years later. The property fell into disrepair until 1980, when it was rescued from ruin by French fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent and his artist-friend, Pierre Bergé.

Yves Saint-Laurent first visited the city in 1962 and by the end of the 1960s, he’d bought his first house there. He later move to a villa next to Majorelle Gardens, which he purchased and saved from being destroyed to make way for an apartment complex. After his death a small memorial stone was placed in the gardens, which now belong to a trust to ensure their continued upkeep.

This is the perfect place to get away from the city and stroll in the shade of the palms and see some beautiful plants, fountains and birds. Like many sights it is quite small and easily crowded by tour groups. It’s best to visit early morning or late afternoon for the best chance of a quieter time. There is a small but expensive café in the gardens which opens from 8am. It serves hot and cold drinks, salads, and sandwiches, also available up until 11:30am there were three types of breakfast.

The gardens contain an eye-catching bamboo “forest” and an arid cactus garden with species from around the world sharing the same space. But probably the most stunning of all are the flowering bougainvillea’s which produce a mass of red and purple blooms. The garden also has a fountain and two large bassins or pools, the smaller of which is fed by a sloping channel. Next to the museum you will find a third pool but this one is filled with golden carp.

In the northeast corner, a small boutique sells a selection of quality local handicrafts. These include clothing, jewellery and leather products such as bags, sandals and bound notebooks.

The painter’s former studio now houses a museum which houses a small collection that includes Berber jewellery, fine embroidery and carved wooden items. The highpoint of the museum for me was its collection of wooden doors and ceilings, all beautifully carved. Some of the ceiling panels are painted but most impressive are the huge double doors dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries.
The museum’s first room has a series of lithographs depicting various Atlas Kasbahs as some of Majorelle’s most acclaimed works were the tourism posters that he created for Morocco.

His name, Majorelle, still lives on today in the art world as a brilliant shade of cobalt blue. It was inspired by the Berber homes of southern Morocco and his former studio is painted in this colour.

Continued in part 16