Atlas Mountains

Travelling to a village on the foothills of the Atlas mountains (by car- not camel or mule) it was interesting to learn that the villager's livelihood was mainly based in the orchards they tended- pears, plums, apples- as well as in the abundance of gnarled Walnut trees growing around the village.

As everywhere in Morocco- both in towns and remote habitations- here were beautiful, individual doors.

A memory from my first visit to the Atlas Mountains- in the early 1970's- was of the wonderful fat, iridescent blue and terracotta pink Roller Birds, sitting on telegraph poles- I searched for them, but did not see them. Neither did I see the flocks of brilliant Bee eaters- but there were compensations.

On the way home we stopped off at Kasbah Tamadot, owned by Richard Branson- wonderful views but after our village and after Jnane-Tamsna it felt irritatingly European.....I was only allowed to take one photo (see last one)!

Marrakech

And now for frenetic Marrakech...... and the second image is a telephone booth....

Jnane-Tamsna, Marrakech

Having returned to Santa Monica I immediately became involved again in Ficus Tree issues which distracted me from catching up with posts I intended to write before leaving the UK. So before starting on Santa Monica I will show more images of Morocco in three separate posts.

First, some images of Jnane-Tamsna. It is hard to believe that this collection of villas in an oasis area- Palmeraie, just outside Marrakech- was only developed in 2001. The vegetation is lush and mature, the villas are built and decorated in the traditional style. Organic gardens supply the kitchen and there are pools to cool one. Designed and developed by Meryanne Coum-Martin and her husband ethnobotanist Gary Martin it is a charming, relaxing retreat to counteract the frenetic athmosphere of Marrakech.










Jnane-Tamsna

Jardin Majorelle, Marrakech

When I first visited Morocco circa 1970, I was totally overwhelmed by the blasts of colour from the landscape, the birds, the flowers, the buildings, the fabrics and the artifacts. Returning to Marrakech with my daughter Molly earlier this month, I was not disappointed.

For the first time, we saw the Jardin Majorelle- an unbelievable colour experience. This exotic, imaginative garden- which surrounds a wonderful brilliant blue art deco house- was developed by a French painter, Jacques Majorelle. He acquired the land and began landscaping it in 1924 and in 1947 he opened it to the public, having collected vegetation from five continents. Yves Saint Laurent- who said he found the garden a source of inspiration and often dreamed of its colours- later acquired and restored the property with Pierre Berge.

Walking round the garden is like seeing one fantastic painting after another- everything is thought out, all the colour combinations are meaningful- complimentary colours: purple plants in yellow flower pots, orange flower pots adjacent to blue walls. I am sure Matisse would have revelled in it- I certainly did. It has been hard to limit the images on this site.