Bold creativity walks the runway at this garden.
Visit us at maedunbroc.com
Music by Jason Shaw at AudionautiX
Featured image courtesy of matadornetwork.com
Transcript:
Hey there, Garden Lovers,
Today is February 5, and this is A Garden A Day with Mædunbroc Gardens. Thank you for listening.
Today’s garden commands attention with bold cobalt blue structures and accents. It is Morocco’s most visited attraction, and it goes by two names. Where are we? We are at Jardin Majorelle also known as the Yves St. Laurent Gardens in Marrakesh, Morocco.
What would the world be without creativity, color, beauty, and bold character? Lucky for us, we don’t have to find out because the world has given us people like Jacques Majorelle and Yves St. Laurent and places like Jardin Majorelle.
Jacques Majorelle was an Orientalist painter who became known for his paintings of North Africa and especially Morocco. He was known for his bold use of vibrant colors inspired by the brilliant blue sky of Morocco and the vivid colors of street life in Marrakesh.
Majorelle was born in France and moved to Morocco in 1917. He purchased four acres of land in Marrakesh in 1922, ’23, or ’24, depending on the source, at the edge of a palm grove. It was here that he began his garden that he would spend the next forty years cultivating. In 1931, he expanded his land to ten acres and built a home and painting studio.
The design of the buildings and gardens take influence from Art Deco, Cubist, and Moorish styles. He painted his studio a strong, bright cobalt blue that he perfected and patented. The shade is called Majorelle Blue.
Majorelle spent decades traveling the world collecting plants for this garden. He cultivated 135 different plant species from five continents creating a botanical oasis in busy Marrakesh.
In 1947, he opened his garden to the public for the first time. After his death in 1962, the estate was abandoned until Yves St. Laurent and Pierre Bergé purchased the property in 1980.
They moved into Majorelle’s home and renamed it Villa Oasis and made it their mission to preserve the garden. They increased the plant species from 135 to 300.
Today, visitors will find a completely walled-in private retreat from busy Marrakesh. The site today is slightly larger than two acres and includes fountains, water channels, and a pond with water lilies, reminiscent of Monet’s famous work.
The water features and diverse plant life attract local birds, and tourists will find they are sharing their visit with many different species, including at least fifteen that are endemic to Morocco.
The garden includes a large collection of cacti and succulents, towering date palms and coconut palms, banana trees, and dense thickets of bamboo.
In the past, visitors etched graffiti onto the stalks of bamboo which is still visible to this day. The practice is no longer allowed.
While the garden is mostly green, with the Majorelle Blue studio as the backdrop, whisps of color from jasmine, bougainvillea, and lotus flowers add to the beauty of this garden.
One of the more poignant spots in the garden is the memorial to Yves St. Laurent who passed away in 2008 at the age of 71. His ashes were scattered in the garden.
In 2011, Pierre Bergé opened the Berber museum in the Majorelle Blue studio. The museum is dedicated to the art, jewelry, clothing, and other artifacts of the Berber people and includes textiles and traditional costumes of the Berber people.
The Berbers are an ethnic group of North Africa that has inhabited the region for centuries.
Jacques Majorelle was intrigued by the culture and painted the Berber people. Yves St. Laurent and Pierre Bergé were also interested in the Berber culture and collected Berber art.
The museum houses their collection and also includes displays focusing on the Berber culture’s history and present. The museum includes over 600 artifacts.
Bergé continued to live in Villa Oasis until his death in 2017.
In 2018, the gardens at Villa Oasis were opened to the public for the first time. The home is closed to the public but is available for private tours led by a few discerning guides.
Next door to the garden is the Yves St. Laurent Museum opened in 2017. The museum includes revolving exhibits of Yves St. Laurent’s designs.
Jardin Majorelle includes a small book shop and boutique selling many items in the famous Majorelle blue as well as jewelry and textiles inspired by Yves St. Laurent.
In the former servant’s quarters, visitors will find Café Majorelle, a pretty little spot for tea and cake.
And really, is there anything better than tea and cake in the garden? I think not.
The gardens are open every day of the week from 8:00am until 6:30pm.
Tickets must be purchased online, and I’ve included a link in the notes for the official website where you can purchase those tickets.
Well, that’s about it for today. I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s garden.
Thank you so much for listening. Join me tomorrow to find out where we are going next. I release a new episode every single day.
As a reminder, you can learn more about the gardens featured on A Garden a Day by clicking on the links in the notes or by visiting our website, agardenaday.com.
And If you like A Garden a Day, and I hope you do, please consider liking, subscribing, and telling your friends. If you are able, please also consider giving us a five-star review. It lets me know you like the show, and it also helps others find the podcast. I really do appreciate your support.
If all goes well, I will be right back here tomorrow. See you then!
To learn more about Jardin Majorelle, check out these links:
https://www.jardinmajorelle.com/en/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Majorelle_Garden
https://awaywiththesteiners.com/visit-jardin-majorelle/
https://www.infinite-morocco.com/monuments/marrakech/jardin-majorelle/
https://matadornetwork.com/read/jardin-majorelle-elegant-botanical-garden/
https://www.tripsavvy.com/majorelle-garden-marrakesh-guide-5087907
https://www.see-morocco.com/jardin-majorelle-iconic-garden-in-marrakech/
https://www.museeyslmarrakech.com/en/fondation-jardin-majorelle/le-jardin-majorelle/
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/jardin-majorelle
https://www.historyhit.com/locations/jardin-majorelle/
https://www.afar.com/places/jardin-majorelle-marrakech
https://www.moroccotravelsguide.com/2024/09/jardin-majorelle-majorelle-garden.html
https://charliepauly.com/jardin-majorelle-marrakech/
https://www.archnet.org/sites/2845
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