#Jardin Marjorelle

[amritdawood]

Le Jardin Marjorelle is a one-hectare (two-acre) botanical garden and artist's landscape garden in Marrakesh, Morocco. It was created by the French Orientalist artist Jacques Majorelle over almost forty years, starting in 1923, and features a Cubist villa designed by French architect Paul Sinoir in the 1930s.

In the 1980s, the property was purchased by the fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent and his business manager Pierre Bergé who worked to restore it. Today, the garden and villa complex is open to the public.

Shame it wasn't sunny on this day.

[mygainyear2024]

Day 74 In the "jungle"

I'm up at 7am. Hassan said he'd leave some fresh milk out for me. I wrap a scarf around my shoulders and head down in my pjs and thongs to find UHT (I thought this was a strong possibility). I make myself a coffee and sit on the little walk way between our bedroom and the bathroom, open the curtains to the open area, and really enjoy the little birds flying around in the trees right outside the verandah. They come quite close and make some very cute sounds.

After a big carb and sugar load that was breakfast (four different kinds of "bread", the pancake one was the best) with jam and honey and one sim card (as Hassan could not get mine working), we had the Riad phone, an actual map, offline maps and the sim and we opened the front door and head out into the "jungle" and immediately went the wrong way! He did say turn left, but that was after we turned right LOL!

We're heading for Jardine Marjorelle and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum. We hugged the walls of the medina, on narrow streets, passing motorbikes, cyclists, donkeys and carts and trailers with sheep (more on this later). Rose hung on pretty tight as we crossed roads outside the medina where no-one stops for pedestrians. I did quickly notice that most tourists weren't covering their shoulders and knees, which was the advice I'd read.

We make it on time for our pre-booked 11 am time slot. The gardens are an instagrammers paradise, so many women had dressed accordingly and were creating long queues. Rose didn't want her picture taken, as she had dressed down (even though I had mentioned people dress up) and said she didn't realise what we were doing today! The museum was interesting but not as crowded, and the short video about the influence of the man himself was educational. Some of the gowns on display, particularly from the 60s and 70s were glorious, sadly no pictures allowed. The gifts in the gift shop were alluring, but pricey.

Next stop a cooking class. By this time we were hungry and out of water and I only had Euros. We bypassed many possible options on our way back to the meeting point, including walking into and sitting down at one exorbitantly priced restaurant, Les Jardins du Lotus. I said to Rose I'm sure the cooking school will help us grab a street food snack (that won't make us ill) and water with Euros. However, there was a bit of chaos at the meeting point. A "helpful" man asked us if we were going to cooking school and then proceeded to lead us further away from the meeting point. I hotspotted with Rose and messaged the owner and we headed back. There was a crowd of 15 of us and I did mention our food and water needs to the organiser but I don't think she quite understood. We got some water at the class and then proceeded to share the pistachios I'd kept in my bag from Spain as we listened to the introduction!

On the menu, after collecting the veg, chicken and bread from the nearby streets, there was caramelised carrots, tomato salad, charred aubergine dip (my favourite), potato salad, followed by chicken tagine, vegetable tagine and a very basic pastilla dessert. Despite the chicken just being killed prior to us collecting it (Rose confirmed she saw live chickens out the back), it wasn't as tender as I'd expected (perhaps because of time, as the tagine was pressure cooked for 20 minutes and then put back in the tagine itself for 20 minutes). Interesting fact, I did learn that the spice mix, ras el hanout, will be different, as each family chooses the spice to include and the quantity. I also think I should have checked the price of saffron in Spain, as it's quite expensive (I can't recall the price quoted at the class but I will check at the various places we're going).

We head to Hotel Ali, the recommended currency conversion option, and the queue was quite long. I wanted to steer Rose into the main square to see the snake charmers and the monkeys. They were easily spotted on the outside of Djemaa El Fna. We passed a fresh fruit juice stand and were offered a sample. The woman at Sixt car rental in Santander had told me she got fresh orange juice everyday for €1. The mixed juice sample was tasty. Rose and I ordered our own versions and for €2 each it was so good and the owner meticulously peeled and cut the fruit while we waited.

We made a dinner reservation at the Riad owner's recommended L'Mida near our Riad for 9pm. My first taste of savoury pastilla, described as vegetarian but included scrambled egg. It was tasty with a beetroot, feta and caramelised walnut salad that we shared. This restaurant didn't serve alcohol. It was quite pricey! About $47 and we only had water with it!

We had a can of tonic from Spain, grabbed some ice from Hassan, and opened our second 1 litre bottle of Barcelonian gin.

[akolipenoukou]

Promenade de la délégation de TIENS.DSCOM-TOGO dans le Jardin Marjorel à Marrakech lors de la visite au Maroc février dernier.  

[yasminmoeladi]

Jardin Marjorelle, Marrakech, July 2022

[dknuth]

Marrakech

I have several days in Marrakech before heading to Jordan. I've been here before and don't need to shop, so I've been taking it easy.

I walked through the souks quite a bit. There's a lot of them, with a lot of tourist-oriented stuff. But it's mostly decent quality and locally made.

Some areas are open streets and some are covered. It's only April and already it's 90 degrees mid-day with a very bright sun. The hotel is a good 25-minute walk to the Medina, with no shade. I really should have moved to a place in the Medina for the extra nights. It would have been more convenient and less expensive, but this was easy and there were a lot of other details to work out.

Today I went to the Jardin Marjorelle. It was created by the artist Jaques Marjorelle in the 1920s and restored by Yves Saint-Laurant in the 1980s. It's a beautiful garden that we really enjoyed in 2007. Today it is totally over-run. You need to buy timed tickets, but will also stand in line for a half hour or so at your designated time. I remember wandering peacefully through the gardens. Now there is a designated route through them with railings on the sides. So the crowds of people are herded through. Most views contain masses of people. It was really pretty disappointing.

The blue is a wonderful color and was actually patented by Marjorelle.

This huge red bougainvillea was stunning, and there were wonderful cacti.

I had a light lunch at the cafe in the museum; a croque monsieur, weirdly toasted on just the top, and some limp cold fries. The lemonade was good though.

I also went to the Museum of Marrakech, in an old palace. It was OK. I always enjoy the intricate geometric tile work, and there were good examples of that.

There were also ceramics and painted doors that I apprecieted.

Along the way, I noticed the variety of doors, usually the only distinguishing element of buildings.

Tomorrow evening I fly to Istanbul and then a morning flight to Amman Jordan for the next leg of this Odyssey.

[biglisbonnews]

What Does It Mean to Trademark a Color? It is easy to see why Jardin Majorelle in Marrakesh is one of Morocco’s iconic tourist attractions. The lush garden, cactus-dotted landscape, bamboo arches, lily ponds, and, most of all, its signature blue buildings make it feel like an oasis in the heart of Marrakesh, a desert city of reds and browns. Most people might describe the paint as a striking cobalt or aquamarine but legally, it is known as Majorelle blue and trademarked under this brand name with the Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property. This raises an interesting question about how and why an entity has the rights over a color that has long been a part of Morocco’s heritage. The story of Jardin Majorelle starts with the celebrated French painter Jacques Majorelle who lived a large part of his life in Morocco back when it was a French protectorate. He bought a plot of land in Marrakesh, and in the 1930s he started building the landscaped garden and house using Moorish and Cubist architecture. Majorelle was inspired by the vibrant shades of aquamarine blue prevalent in Morocco, be it intricate floor tiles, window edges of a kasbah, or turbans won by Amazigh men. Toward the end of his life, Majorelle sold the estate when he fell into financial distress. Fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé later bought and restored it. Today, Foundation Jardin Majorelle manages the space and opens it to the public. (Foundation Jardin Majorelle did not respond to requests for comment on this article.) Majorelle’s link to the house is obvious. After all, he envisioned and designed it. But his name is also synonymous with the shade of blue because he very savvily trademarked it before his death in 1962. Specifically, Majorelle blue is 37.65% red, 31.37% green and 86.27% blue. Majorelle is neither the first nor the last person to trademark a color, and intellectual property laws facilitate this. Corporations for example, are known to trademark colors to increase their brand recognition. Tiffany blue or Target red are instantly recognizable because the companies standardized the shade globally and made it a legal asset. It is important to note that this does not mean they created or own the color. Others are free to use it, as long as it is for different goods or services. Similarly, since Majorelle blue is trademarked in Morocco, the commercial impact there is clear cut. Jardin Majorelle is the only place that sells this shade of blue acrylic paint, labeled Majorelle Blue. Trademark rights are protected country by country, so a paint company in another country could sell a vibrant aquamarine paint labeled “Majorelle blue” to cash in on public interest. However, entities prefer to play it safe and offer near matches instead. For example, United Kingdom-based Bristol Paints directs customers to its Ultramarine Blue, which it calls a “very acceptable alternative to Majorelle Blue.” The response from locals, particularly artists, are more nuanced. Many agree that Majorelle’s reputation as a talented artist and association with Morocco has increased global interest in Moroccan culture. The issue comes from the trademark, because it ensures Majorelle’s name and legacy is forever linked to the color blue, above other local artists, designers, or Indigenous communities. This is contentious because the color blue—particularly indigo and ultramarine—features heavily in Moroccan culture. “Indigo is the dominant color in many cities such as Chefchaouen, Asilah, and Tetouan,” says Younes Laassouli, a Moroccan painter and digital artist. “Almost all ancient ports in Morocco have blue doors, windows, and even boats. It can also be found in tiles, rugs, and kaftans.” This partly explains why many Moroccan artists use blue shades in their artworks. “Personally, I believe that it is impossible for me to achieve the correct values and shades in my portraits unless I use blue, like cobalt and Prussian,” Laassouli says. The trademark on Majorelle blue might have limited people’s access to this particular shade of blue paint, but they have other means for creating color. For example, the plant Indigofera tinctoria is widely available in Morocco and is used to create affordable indigo dye or powder. There is no need to rely on the supply in Jardin Majorelle. As artist Najoua El Hitmi explains, “I paint and do industrial art and sculptures. If I want a particular shade of blue, I experiment and add different pigments.” Yet, the question is more than who can access or mix blue paints. It’s about who gets to lay claim on colors. Samir Ghoudrani’s family home is walking distance from Jardin Majorelle, but he only recently found out about the trademark and Majorelle’s deep association with the ultramarine color. “I understand if as an artist, you want to own the painting that you drew. But this is like wanting to own the colors. Imagine a singer who wants to own not just a song, but the sound.” Moroccan visual artist Zakaria Ramhani has similar views. “Majorelle blue is an appropriation of ultramarine. I also find it quite weird that someone thinks they have a right over a color. Colors are in nature, for the eyes that can see it,” he says. He concedes that the Majorelle estate is a valuable tourist attraction for Morocco but notes, “Majorelle was protected by colonization and I don't believe he gave any attention to my culture. He painted as an Orientalist and focused on his own ‘blue.’” https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/jardin-marjorelle-trademark-color

[cantquitu]

Jardin Majorelle & Musee Yves Saint Laurent, Marrakech

[thisismywastedtalent]

Jardín Majorelle, Marrakech, October 2017

[sheltiechicago]

Jardin Majorelle, Marrakech, Morocco

It was created by French Orientalist artist, Jacques Majorelle over almost forty years, starting in 1923 and features a Cubist villa designed by French architect, Paul Sinoir in the 1930s. The villa houses the Islamic Art Museum of Marrakech, the Berber Museum and has recently opened the Musee Yves Saint Laurent.

Photographer: Zoltan Tasi

[blueiscoool]

Yves Saint Laurent’s $4.2 Million Garden Villa in Morocco

The late designer and his partner Pierre Bergé bought the place in 1980.

In the bustling heart of Marrakech lies a tranquil anomaly: Jardins Marjorelle, home to the sprawling Modernist villa that once belonged to French fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé.

Now the estate, designed by architect Paul Sinoir in the 1930s for the French painter Jacques Marjorelle, is for sale. For €4 million ($4.3 million), Sotheby’s is selling the late designer’s villa, which comes equipped with six bedrooms and an outdoor pool, spread across a remarkable two-acre garden oasis.

It was sold to Saint Laurent and Berge in 1980 and has since become one of the Ochre City’s greatest attractions, colloquially referred to simply as the “YSL garden,” drawing around 800,000 visitors a year. Most recently it attracted attention when the socialite scammer Anna Delvey visited the lush grounds in 2017, and then refused to pay the $2,000 bill for the private tour.

Awash in an electric blue, also known as “Marjorelle blue,” the estate comes with original features such as terracotta paving, as well as several living rooms, a patio, and four ensuite bedrooms, each with a private terrace. Behind the pool, an adjacent pavilion offers two additional chambers, as well as another living room.

It sits nearby a Berber museum, which includes more than 600 objects from the Rif Mountains and Sahara that Saint Laurent and Berge personally collected. The Yves Saint Laurent Museum, also nearby, includes a permanent exhibition space showcasing many of YSL’s most dramatic couture creations.

No word yet on whether Delvey, fresh off an exhibition of her works in New York and rumored to still be in the market to open her elusive foundation, has put in a bid.

By Dorian Batycka.

[meaninginmakeup]

My friend spoiled me for my birthday with some makeup from indie brands! She said I’ve always spoiled her over the years, and she wanted to repay the favor. She also knew I hadn’t worked since March due to being immune comrpomised and can’t risk exposure at work. Anyway, I got her started on the make your own palette trend which she liked bc a lot of palettes had colors she wouldn’t use (she’s into mostly nudes while I’ll try every shadow out lol. But she has been branching out lately which I’m proud of).

Nomad cosmetics (left to right, top row then bottom): Graffiti Art (metallic light pink), Jardin Marjorelle (matte blue), Concrete Jungle (light silver), Carnival (purple metallic), Tropicana (yellow matte), and El Mar (turquoise). No longer sold.

Lethal Cosmetics: Stargaze (dark silver) and Aether (green). 

Makeup Geek: Nostalgic (golden pink duochrome) and Plot Twist (blue/purple duochrome). No longer sold.

Baby Bat Beauty: Dragonfly (the pink duochrome) and Ether (blue duochrome).

The bottom pic is my custom palette with some of the new shadows as well as some others from other brands (like Menagerie Cosmetics and Colourpop).

[abirxnassal]

Jardin Marjorelle🌿

[passportrequired]

I Lust For Adventure: Barcelona + Marrakesh

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“I lust for adventure.”

These four words invaded my mind as I gazed at the Instagram pics, as I watched the YouTube recaps, and most recently (in 2016), as I read Darnell’s Blackpacking post. The feelings that engulfed me were a potpourri of thrilling and terrifying. My wanderlust peaked at imaginable levels, but I knew this particular feeling was different. I didn’t just want to cross seas; I’d done that before. I yearned for spontaneity, titillation, fireworks: I wanted to live instead of exist.

And this past year, it wasn’t just a want, it was a requirement. Just like my passport.

After many months of “one day” escaping my thoughts and lips, I decided on the February trip, celebrating Darnell’s birthday. A huge part of the adventure I sought was wrapped up in this special person I call I dear friend. He doesn’t just take you on adventures, he IS adventure. This was it! Perfection. BAM, booked.

And in true Passport Required-esque fashion, I had no idea where I was going until about a week before my flight departed. Once that day came, I squealed and saw two pictures encapsulating my dreams: Barcelona and Marrakesh.

These are my confessions: Because this trip meant so much to me spiritually and emotionally, it took me a while to actually sit down and congregate the text to describe something that has changed my life. How do you simplify and diminish that with words? Maybe I’ll just accumulate a lot of words, scattered about, just like my thoughts and feelings. Nevertheless, it needs to be documented. Come along and (re)ride on this fantastic voyage…

Barcelona. Architecture, crafted in a way that stole my breath upon having the honor of being thrusted in its presence. Bunking at my very first hostel; and not dying. Living the good life, in fact. The bustling energy of the streets, filled with people so affectionate and passionate, you can feel its burn on your skin. Goosebumps. Tiny plates of food called tapas and the desire to try every single sample. Running and singing in the rain, the soles of our feet hardening on cobblestone streets. Hiking up hills that rival San-Francisco-steepness to meet Park Güell because the view is surely worth it.

Dipping my toes into the Mediterranean sea as I meditated with strangers and gazed at the man practicing fighting moves in the sunlight: Was it Karate or Kung Fu? Maybe Krav Maga; I wish Siri could’ve told me via video. Taking a long walk to witness the majesticness of the Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, a work of art over a 100 years in the making and yet unfinished. Scampering about Parque del Laberinto de Horta and experiencing the joy of getting lost within its interlacing roots. Climbing to face the Three Crosses. Milly-rocking under the Arc de Triomf. You read that right. Read it again.

Blackness. And yes, we found phở. Chatting with locals and learning the difference between Catalans and Spaniards. Passing by and pausing to watch a boisterous game of fútbol. Celebrating born days with the most tenders of steaks and Argentinian wine. Licking the delectable dust off of four or five fartons every morning, warm and fresh from the bakery.

Marrakech. The feeling of stepping onto the motherland’s grounds for the first time, engulfing me, tightly. The beautifully haunting sounds of the snake charmer’s pungi invading my ears as we approached the market in Jamaa Lefna. Haggling the taxi drivers and making it rain dirham. The rumbling energy of businesses halting to a piercing silence during times of prayer: Fajr, Sunrise, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha, and Qiyam. The aggressive culture of solicitation as the stench of America wafted from our pores.

Getting lost within the souks of Medina and being guided away from a “forbidden place” that never was. Satisfying my palate with couscous and meat, while washing it down with the finest orange juice I had ever ingested. No really, allow me to take a moment to honor these orange trees. How can juice with only one ingredient give me nectar-of-the-gods realness! Maybe it’s because it had only one true ingredient. Regardless, I am forever changed. The colors; oh my God, the colors. Lollygagging in Jardin Marjorelle and soaking in colors beyond the rainbow’s spectrum. Colors probably only seen in the ∞-count Crayola box.

Sopping up the most seasoned and spiced meat, cheese, and eggs of my life with khobz. Ingesting art and texture at museums. Congregating with our temporary hostel family and playing music, sharing stories, and singing the melodies of our shared and separate lives, simultaneously. Allowing the holiness that is Moroccan mint tea course through my digestive passages like a delicious warm river, and sucking the life out of snails via impromptu snack shenanigans.

And much much much much more.

I’m still musing over it all and realizing… wow. I really did it. I fit adventure into a backpack. And would do it again. And again.

I Lust For Adventure: Barcelona + Marrakesh was originally published on Passport Required

[mnm-in-iberia]

Day 14 - Marrakech

Firstly this morning we went to the Koutoubia mosque.

It was difficult to see because the sky was foggy, but I got a better photo later.

Secondly we went to the Bahia Palace and got to have a tour around it.

Next we went to a Berber pharmacy.

The pharmacist there described every product, and then went through them all, asking who wants to buy each one. Everyone accumulated so many products. Their most popular products were those made with pure argan oil. I bought tea, moisturiser, spices and eucalyptus crystals, and Mia bought tea and face cream.

We all left with big bags of pharmacy products and had free time in the Medina. We went to the Henna Art Cafe, where I had a vegetarian Berber burrito which was amazing.

Mia had a tajine, and then we both got henna. This is mine:

We did a little bit of shopping and then we got a taxi to the Jardins Marjorelle, or the Yves Saint Laurent gardens.

It was beautiful, and really amazing to be able to go because I’ve wanted to go there for years.

We got a horse ride back to the hotel and then got ready for dinner. We had dinner at a cafe and then met the rest of the group at a really cute bar.

From there we went to Theatro, a really highly ranked night club. It was super intense and crazy.

[automaticstudentgardenworld-blog]

10 of the Most Beautiful Gardens Around the World

For a solid portion of human history, people have been cultivating flora in gardens for both practical and aesthetic use. But we’re not just talking about tiny plots in your backyard where you grow tomatoes. Gardening is an art form, from the Zen-like gardens of the eastern tradition, to perfectly manicured Western sanctuaries. Here, we take a look at 10 of the most beautiful from across the globe.

1. Kenrokuen, Kanazawa, Japan

Courtesy of Flickr/bryan…

In designing their works, Japanese gardeners seek to create an ideal landscape within a particular space. Kenrokuen in Kanazawa is considered to be one of the finest examples of Japanese gardens, built over the course of 200 years starting in the mid-17th century. In fact, it is one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, along with Korakuen in Okayama and Kairakuen in Mito.

2. Keukenhof, Lisse, Netherlands

Courtesy of Flickr/Yuichi Shiraishi

Covering nearly 80 acres, Keukenhof is one of the largest flower gardens in the world. And with all that land comes a lot of bulbs—about 7 million are planted each year for a spectacular spring blossom (the garden is only open between March and May). You’ll find plenty of tulips, which the country is known for.

3. Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden, Pattaya, Thailand

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Wayne77

In 1954 Pisit and Nongnooch Tansacha purchased 600 acres of land on which they planned to build a fruit plantation. But they decided to dedicate the grounds to conservation, and in 1980 they opened their tropical garden to the public.

4. Gardens of Versailles, Versailles, France

Courtesy of Flickr/Kimberly Vardeman

A list of top gardens would not be complete without mentioning the gardens of the Château of Versailles. Covering nearly 2,000 acres, the current landscape was designed by gardener André Le Nôtre, who was commissioned by Louis XIV in 1661. More than 6 million visitors stroll the gardens each year.

5. Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Diliff

More than just a scenic greenspace, Kew is an internationally renowned research institution, employing hundreds of scientists and researchers. The gardens are home to more than 40,000 species of plants, as well as dozens of historic buildings, including the Victorian-era Palm House shown here.

6. Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, New York, New York

Courtesy of Flickr/Meg

It’s not often you find a 52-acre garden in the heart of a major metropolis. But that’s exactly what you’ll find in New York, thanks to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The garden is known for its 200 cherry trees, which take center stage during a month-long blossom festival.

7. Jardin Majorelle, Marrakech, Morocco

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Luc Viatour

French painter Jacques Marjorelle spent four decades crafting his beloved garden around his villa in Marrakech. Noted for the luminous blue paint on its buildings, gates, pots, and more, the garden was purchased by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé in 1980.

8. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town, South Africa

Courtesy of Flickr/thomas

Established in 1913, the grand Kirstenbosch sits on the slopes of Table Mountain and is dedicated to preserving South African flora. While the garden comprises nearly 90 acres itself, it is part of a 1,300-acre nature reserve.

9. Villa d’Este, Tivoli, Italy

Courtesy of Flickr/M.Maselli

This 16th-century villa, whose main building is also a marvel, is home to an incredible garden that has 51 fountains. Considering each runs on gravity alone, that’s a pretty impressive feat. The terraced landscape was the inspiration for many European gardens to follow.

10. Summer Palace, Beijing, China

Courtesy of Flickr/Luca Casartelli

A combination of historic pavilions, temples, bridges, and a hilly natural landscape, the Summer Palace was deemed a “masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design” by UNESCO, which designated it a World Heritage Site in 1998.

[veronicaprida]

Fan favorite! Duchess of Le Jardin Marjorelle #beadwork #sequins #crystals #sequindress #crown👑 #orderofthealamo #sanantoniofiesta #duchess #tiara #veronicaprida #morocco (at San Antonio, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdd5xWgu3T3/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=