In the heart of Marrakech, there is a place that combines art, culture and nature in an impressive way: the Jardin Majorelle. This colourful paradise attracts thousands of visitors every year who are enchanted by its unique beauty.
General
The Jardin Majorelle is a place of tranquillity and inspiration in the heart of the vibrant city of Marrakech. This botanical garden contains plants from all five continents. It is famous for its bamboo forests, colourful bougainvilleas and giant cacti. A particular highlight is the large blue house with its yellow windows and staircase, which is a popular photo motif.
The 9000m² garden is one of the most fascinating and mysterious in Morocco. Created over forty years by the French painter Jacques Majorelle, it is a labyrinth of intersecting paths.
The garden: a work of art
The garden is a living work of art made up of exotic plants and rare species that Jacques Majorelle brought back from his travels around the world: cacti, yuccas, water lilies, white water lilies, jasmine, bougainvillea, palm trees, coconut palms, banana trees and bamboo. In 1937, the artist created a bright and intense ultramarine blue, now known as Majorelle blue. He used this colour to paint and design the garden.
The iconic Majorelle blue
One of the most striking features of the garden is the dominant use of blue, known as ‘Majorelle blue’ after the garden’s creator. This intense, cobalt blue colour characterises the buildings, pots and many elements of the garden. The blue is a fascinating contrast to the green plants and the bright Moroccan sun, giving the garden an almost magical quality.
History of the garden
In 1922, Jacques Majorelle began planting this vast and luxuriant garden, which was to serve as a refuge and botanical laboratory. He brought exotic botanical specimens from all over the world. After a car accident, Majorelle was transferred to Paris, where he died in 1962. The garden fell into disrepair.
In 1980, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé bought the garden to save it from destruction by hotel developers. They decided to live in Jacques Majorelle’s villa, which they renamed Villa Oasis. For years, the Jardin Majorelle was an inexhaustible source of inspiration for Yves Saint Laurent, who often dreamed of its unique colours.
The garden today
After Yves Saint Laurent’s death in 2008, Pierre Bergé decided to donate the Jardin Majorelle to the Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent. The garden designer, Madison Cox, opened a new ecological chapter by adding numerous species of succulents native to Morocco and replacing the paving with pink gravel, reflecting the predominant colour of Marrakech.
The Berber Museum
The Berber Museum is an integral part of the garden. Located in the former workshop of Jacques Majorelle, it houses an impressive collection of more than 600 artefacts from Berber culture. These objects were collected by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé and offer a deep insight into the rich and varied Berber culture.
The Jardin Majorelle is more than just a garden. It is a place that inspires and delights visitors from all over the world and a living monument to the passions of Jacques Majorelle and Yves Saint Laurent.
