A trip to Marrakech will never be complete without a visit to Jardin Majorelle. It was actually one of the reason why I was so excited to take this Morocco trip. As you might already know, the blue garden, was founded by a French painter, Jacques Majorelle. He worked so hard to create this enchanting garden over the course of 40 years (starting in 1923). After Jacques’ passing, the garden was bought by Yves Saint Laurent & Pierre Berge. The garden itself at that time was not in great condition, but the couple has done an amazing job to restore it.
The garden, got its name most definitely due to its founder. Jardin Majorelle is considered to be Jacques’ most vast artwork. He painted the garden with the intense shade of blue, which he then trademarked as Majorelle Blue. The shade doesn’t come out of nowhere, but he was inspired by the many shades of blue that he found throughout Morocco. Starting from the tiles, casbahs, and Berber burnouses.
In Jardin Majorelle, the complex many parts, such as the 2.5 acres garden, 2 museums (Berber Museum and Islamic Art Museum of Marrakech), as well as the Cubist villa made by Paul Sinoir. And in addition, just adjacent to the garden, a new complex is recently opened (in 2017) which is the Musee Yves Saint Laurent.
The garden itself is like an oasis in the desert. It is filled with many plant specimens, like Cacti as well as exotic plants & trees. Each of them are carefully placed to showcase their uniqueness & beauty. A specialist/gardener is assigned to specific plants, to ensure their livelihood and avoid risk of it being ill. It is said that each of the plant is catalogued so that in case one has outlived its time, it will be replaced with the exact same one.
In one corner of the garden, a monument to honor Yves Saint Laurent was erected after his death in 2008. The monument itself has a Roman column which came from his Tangier home, and placed on top of a red-ochre base. There is also 2 white benches for visitors to pause and remember that his legacy lives on. Yves’ ashes was also scattered in the garden.
Site: Jardin Majorelle, Rue Yves Saint Laurent, Marrakech – Morocco
Admissions: 100 DHS (garden and museums), reduced price with relevant ID, free for children under 12 years old.
Hours:
- October 1 – April 30: 08h00 – 17h30
- May 1 – September 30: 08h00 – 18h00
- Month of Ramadan: 09h00 – 17h00
The garden is wheelchair accessible.
