I
n the semi-arid landscape of Marrakech,
where water is a treasure and the Sahara
just over the Atlas, gardens are the
ultimate retreat. Their cool, green peace
provides welcome relief from the sensual
overload of the city streets, the perfect
backdrop for recreation and relaxation.
More than this, though, these spaces reflect
the progress of history. Powerful people have
been creating their personal retreats here for
centuries, resulting in the creation of five main
types, from 12th century olive groves to showy
80
s palaces of kitsch, all of which echo the
beliefs and tastes of those who devised them.
Of course, gardens are the most fragile of
cultural artefacts; without constant care they
quickly disappear. Luckily, since 1999 the new
king, Mohammed VI, has put his weight behind
a renaissance in garden-making, which has led
to the creation of new public parks, street planting
and hotel gardens, and restoration programmes
of the more fragile spaces. Visitors today can see a
city alive with a passion for plants. It seems
these gardens have a very fruitful future.
Gardens of Marrakech by Angelica Gray, published
by Frances Lincoln, £20
Space
for reflection
Moroccan gardens have provided sanctuary for almost
a millennium. Here, the author of
Gardens of Marrakech
reveals the secrets of the city’s coolest places
WORDS
ANGELICA GRAY
PHOTOGRAPHY
ALESSIOMEI
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