Majorelle garden – Yves Saint Laurent’s Garden Guide
The Blue-Yellow Pearl of Marrakech
In the midst of the chaotic roads, the busy locals and the humming of the calls to prayer lies a little piece of heaven. Of blue heaven, that is – Majorelle is a French word meaning bright cobalt blue.
This enchanting spot, a symphony of light and color, filled with exotic flowers and plant life and alive with birdsong and the murmur of fountains. Set as it is in the heart of an ochre red city, his blue garden certainly raises a few eyebrows-it is, however the blue of Marrakchi skies! The property now belongs to the Pierre Berge-Yves Saint-Laurent Foundation, and houses a museum of Islamic art, along with the ashes of the famous couturier himself.
The Majorelle Garden is one of the most delightful and stunning spots within this red-walled city. To arrive at this meticulously designed botanical garden you must pass through Marrakech’s medina filled with acres of olive groves and palms.
The History of the Majorelle Garden:
The Majorelle Garden was created by the French painter Jacques Majorelle, who came to live in Morocco in 1922, to recover from heart problems. He built the garden during those years using a special color of blue which he used extensively in the garden that is named after him, Majorelle Blue. The artist painted the walls of his Art-Deco villa and garden a vibrant and luminescent ultramarine. Jacques Majorelle returned to France in 1962 after a car incident and died later that year of complications from his injuries. Even though Morocco is no longer under the French protectorate, this originally French creation is one of the most beloved areas in Morocco.
In 1980, the Frenchmen Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé purchased the Majorelle Garden to ensure its continued operation as a public garden. The partners were frequent visitors to the gardens and together they restored the site to its original splendor. A Museum of Islamic Art was opened shortly thereafter, showcasing the personal art collections of Saint Laurent and Bergé One of the galleries displays a permanent exhibition of the paintings of Jacques Majorelle.
After the death of Yves Saint Laurent in 2008, Pierre Bergé donated the property to the Fondation Pierre Bergé -Yves Saint Laurent, and in 2011 the Berber Museum was opened in the studio of Jacques Majorelle.
Today, the garden that was so loved by two very different creative talents is managed by a not-for-profit organization which makes it available to the public for their own source of inspiration.
A Stroll through the Majorelle Garden
The garden occupies a small square area within the city block that measures approximately 135 meters long on each side. The square parcel is rotated twenty-nine degrees counter-clockwise from the north-south meridian to align with the street that it borders to the east. Along the north, south, and west sides of its perimeter, the garden is surrounded by private residences. One of the homes bordering the gardens is the winter residence of prominent businessman Omar Ben Jelloun, an architectural landmark that features traditional Moroccan construction and decorative techniques in a contemporary plan. A dense fabric of mixed trees, flowers, and shrubs fills the majority of the site. Plantings in the botanical garden are classified into five categories: cacti, palms, bamboo, blooming potted plants, and aquatic plants. The plants are not isolated by type in orderly sub-gardens, as is the custom in traditional Islamic gardens; here all species are interspersed with one another in a picturesque, varied landscape. Specimens were imported from five continents to create a colorful, lush, and densely planted oasis. Several species of exotic birds frequent the garden due to the great variety of flowering plants.
THINGS TO DO IN MAJORELLE GARDEN:
- It is an ideal place to go to on a very sunny day; therefore, all the intense colors of the building shine and you’ll be able to fancy the landscape.
- You may find yourself lost before getting to the place, because there is no sign Guide you the directions, so everything look may look confusing if you find so, don’t hesitate to ask the shops or the streetwalkers, the Moroccan people are so friendly, they will be glad to help you out.
- You can additionally get there by taxi; therefore, it would be simple reckoning on wherever you’re in the city. The bus is an honest possibility as takes you from the Medina to any or all alternative holidaymaker attractions outside.
- Don’t forget to bring your pro camera with you, you will be fascinated by the place, you will take pictures as you can, people may even discover their photography talent in such beautiful sights like this!
- Bring your favorite novel with you!, Majorelle Garden is one of the most relax and comfortable sights between the crowded city of Marrakech.
Top things to Know before you go to Majorelle Garden!
The garden is one of the most popular tourist sites in Marrakesh and as a result gets quite busy. Get there early. Â
The shoulder seasons of spring and fall are preferable for visiting Marrakech, Visit during early mornings or late afternoons to avoid the heaviest crowds.
Schedule: From October – April: from 8 am to 5:30 pm
From May – September: from 8 am to 6 pm
Ramadan: from 9 am to 5 pm.
The Yves Saint Laurent museum is next door to the garden. The museum showcases the designer’s fashions and history. Possibility of Combined Ticket mYSLm Yves Saint Laurent Museum + Majorelle Garden. Warning: mYSLm closed Wednesday.
 Price : Gardens: 70 dirhams.
 Islamic Art Museum: 30 dirhams
Children (aged less than 12): free entry to both.
Jardin Majorelle is located at Rue Yves Saint Laurent in Marrakech, close to Avenue Yacoub el-Mansour in the northeast of Bab Doukkala. You can take the bus to the Boukar Majorelle stop and walk the short distance to the gardens or by a taxi from Jema el Fna (almost 25 Dhs).
