Visiting a real Secret Garden

A few years back, I visited Marrakech on a business trip. I still remember how one of my colleagues at the time kept nagging me about a mystical garden in the Moroccan city that I had to see before I left.

I heard over and over about the fascinating story behind the garden and in the end he succeeded in convincing me that I must visit the place. And visit I did.

Located near the Jame' al Fana - the living heart of Marrakech with all its diverse cultural activities and old market (or souq) — “Jardin Majorelle'' receives scores of visitors every day from around the world.

Walking along its paths, passing the endless shapes and forms of plants gave an overpowering sensation – there was no doubt that the garden held some secrets.

What further mesmerises visitors is the garden's story, which pretty much sounds like a fairy-tale from once-upon-a-time.

According to the first version of the story, which I heard some years back, a Frenchman called Majorelle was in love with a Moroccan woman, who later tragically died, (I don't recall whether they got married or not).

In order to immortalise their love, Majorelle built an amazing garden in her memory using hundreds of different kinds of plants from all around the globe.

Recently I had the chance to visit Marrakech again, and despite my busy schedule and only having very limited time in the city, I decided to visit the garden once more as its strange beauty had lingered in my memory over the years.

But interestingly, on this second visit, I heard the real version of the story — although I still did not discover what it is that makes many people rate the garden one of the most mysterious in the world today.

Born in 1886, Jacquees Majorelle was the son of the well-known furniture maker Louis Majorelle. In 1919, he first came to Marrakech to continue his career as a painter.

Upon a doctor's recommendation, he moved to Marrakech as it was advised that the dry atmosphere would treat an ailment he had of the respiratory system.

He bought the land and began the landscaped area which is known today as Majorelle Garden and which in 1947 he opened to the public.

After a car accident in 1962, he returned to France and shortly passed away.

Later, both the late French designer Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge became ardent admirers of the beauty spot and established a trust to ensure its future existence.

So in this case it seems fact doesn't really match the romance of the myth - the former French painter just liked collecting plants from the around the world to put in his garden! But it doesn't really matter, Jardin Majorelle soon weaves a spell around those who visit it.


A garden from around the world

From the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean to China in the Far East, and from Malaysia in Asia, to Brazil and Mexico in Latin America, Majorelle obssessively collected the plants he loved so much.

It has also been suggested that he had a friend in the French army, which was occupying Morocco at that time, who brought back seedlings from his travels.

The garden has nearly 350 species of plant, and is run by nearly 70 employees, including 18 gardeners and two supervisors.

Today, the garden sustains itself, and according to officials, it receives between 1,500 and 2,500 visitors each day.

Entry fee: 30 Moroccan dirhams (Dh13)

When to visit: Peak season for visitors is between May and October when the plants look their best