G I U P P I P I E TRO M ARCH I
MOROCCO IN BLOOM
Giuppi Pietromarchi is a renowned Italian landscape designer, a specialist in Mediterranean botany and the creator of numerous gardens in Tuscany and elsewhere. She has authored several books on the history of Italian gardens and on Mediterranean flora, as well as regular articles for gardening magazines. From 1986 to 1989 she lived in Rabat, where her husband was the Italian Ambassador to Morocco. It was then that she discovered the rich beauty of the Moroccan garden. Giulio Pietromarchi began work as an assistant photographer in Rome, aged 16. That year he met Niki de Saint Phalle, who, having seen his work, asked him to document her Tarot Garden in Tuscany. His photographs span the 27 years it took to realise the project. Their long collaboration led him to document the artist’s work around the world, leading to several publications. Without abandoning his passion for photography, Giulio began his film career in 1983 as a camera operator, before becoming a director of photography. His filmography includes more than sixty films and documentaries.
MOROCCO IN BLOOM GIUPPI PIETROMARCHI FOREWORD BY MADISON COX
ISBN: 978-1-85149-904-5
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£35.00/$50.00
www.accartbooks.com
Morocco in Bloom is a celebration of the beauty and richness of Moroccan flora. Author Giuppi Pietromarchi, a renowned and highly respected gardener in her native Italy, shares her deep-rooted passion for the designs and plants of the contemporary Moroccan garden. The famous Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech features extensively, its rich palette of dazzling flowers and deep Marjorelle Blue illustrated with a magnificent array of photographs. Created by French painter Jacques Majorelle in the first half of the twentieth century, the garden was rediscovered and restored by Yves Saint-Laurent and Pierre Bergé in the 1980s. Morocco in Bloom, with its detailed antique botanical prints, also serves as a practical guide on the cultivation, creation and maintenance of southern Mediterranean gardens, leading the reader through the year with advice on how to plant, prune and care for the most beautiful and rare flora.
PHOTOGRAPHS GIULIO PIETROMARCHI
Koppen’s classification of the Mediterranean climate found in the Mediterranean Basin, in North Africa, Western Asia and Southern Europe, as well as in specific regions of Africa, Australia, North America and South America.
Jardin Majorelle - Marrakech
FOREWORD Nearly twenty-five years ago, when I was first asked to advise on the refurbishment of the gardens at the Villa Oasis, adjacent to the famed Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech, there was very little garden literature or documentation available in Morocco. While there existed a rich heritage and oral tradition regarding the cultivation of gardens, and a smattering of plant nurseries throughout the countr y – following basic international norms of botanical nomenclature and offering a vast treasure of gardening possibilities – very few books, if any, relating to the botanical world existed. The large majority of both public and private gardens in Morocco, including the Jardin Majorelle at the time, relied principally on the tried-and-trusted yet limited palette of flowering plants and gardening techniques that were employed throughout the countr y. Vivid red geraniums, densely planted in a carpet-like manner, or tightly clipped soldierly rows of orange or ficus trees, vestiges of a bygone protectorate era, come to mind. Beyond those norms and that narrow vision, little in the way of documentation was available to encourage and inspire those in love with plants and gardens. All of that changed for me when I discovered in a Paris bookshop a tattered copy of Maroc en Fleurs by Giuppi Pietromarchi. Richly illustrated and well documented, the book was like a revelation within the realm of possibility. The author’s passion for her subject was evident, yet her book balanced enthusiastic descriptions with practical advice. Organized in an almanac-like, month to month format that takes into account the prime blooming periods, the reader is taken on a plant tour of the countr y that includes native plant varieties as well as impor ted species that grow well in general cultivation. The author, who lived in Rabat at the time of the original publication, is very well versed in plant nomenclature and the creator of numerous gardens. She is a renowned and highly respected gardener herself in her native Italy and has a deep-rooted passion and respect for Morocco. Since the original edition of Maroc en Fleurs was published in 1987, the Kingdom of Morocco has witnessed a proliferation of interest in gardening and the introduction of new plant species, not to mention seriously minded garden designers who have a great sense of responsibility to the environment. We have seen an increased number of influential garden-related publications, yet nothing equals this passionate book. It is therefore with great pleasure, and on behalf of the Fondation Jardin Majorelle, that I have aided in the republishing of this classic work and its new English edition, Morocco in Bloom. It is impor tant to honour and remember, as I do fondly, those who advised and influenced Morocco in the ever-evolving world of garden design. Madison Cox Tangier, June 2017
Jardin Majorelle - Marrakech
FOREWORD Nearly twenty-five years ago, when I was first asked to advise on the refurbishment of the gardens at the Villa Oasis, adjacent to the famed Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech, there was very little garden literature or documentation available in Morocco. While there existed a rich heritage and oral tradition regarding the cultivation of gardens, and a smattering of plant nurseries throughout the countr y – following basic international norms of botanical nomenclature and offering a vast treasure of gardening possibilities – very few books, if any, relating to the botanical world existed. The large majority of both public and private gardens in Morocco, including the Jardin Majorelle at the time, relied principally on the tried-and-trusted yet limited palette of flowering plants and gardening techniques that were employed throughout the countr y. Vivid red geraniums, densely planted in a carpet-like manner, or tightly clipped soldierly rows of orange or ficus trees, vestiges of a bygone protectorate era, come to mind. Beyond those norms and that narrow vision, little in the way of documentation was available to encourage and inspire those in love with plants and gardens. All of that changed for me when I discovered in a Paris bookshop a tattered copy of Maroc en Fleurs by Giuppi Pietromarchi. Richly illustrated and well documented, the book was like a revelation within the realm of possibility. The author’s passion for her subject was evident, yet her book balanced enthusiastic descriptions with practical advice. Organized in an almanac-like, month to month format that takes into account the prime blooming periods, the reader is taken on a plant tour of the countr y that includes native plant varieties as well as impor ted species that grow well in general cultivation. The author, who lived in Rabat at the time of the original publication, is very well versed in plant nomenclature and the creator of numerous gardens. She is a renowned and highly respected gardener herself in her native Italy and has a deep-rooted passion and respect for Morocco. Since the original edition of Maroc en Fleurs was published in 1987, the Kingdom of Morocco has witnessed a proliferation of interest in gardening and the introduction of new plant species, not to mention seriously minded garden designers who have a great sense of responsibility to the environment. We have seen an increased number of influential garden-related publications, yet nothing equals this passionate book. It is therefore with great pleasure, and on behalf of the Fondation Jardin Majorelle, that I have aided in the republishing of this classic work and its new English edition, Morocco in Bloom. It is impor tant to honour and remember, as I do fondly, those who advised and influenced Morocco in the ever-evolving world of garden design. Madison Cox Tangier, June 2017
Jardin Majorelle - Marrakech
INTRODUCTION
MOROCCO IN BLOOM A B O O K, A STO RY, A PAS S IO N
This book is dedicated to all those who love plants and gardens. I can cer tainly say that I am ‘green-fingered’: I was born into a family where plants constituted the basis of our lives – the first straight lines I remember were the long rows of poplars lined up in perfect order on my grandfather’s land in Saonara, a small village in Veneto. If I close my eyes, I can still smell the strong scent of the gardenias, on an enclosed plot in a greenhouse with whitewashed windows: as a child, I imagined that I had waved a magic wand and been transpor ted into a perfume bottle. My father handed a love and passion for nature down to me and, above all, he taught me to see the harmony that always reigns in natural environments. We create gardens by imitating and modelling nature, and gardens must always be harmonious; when we enter a green space, we must feel peace, then surprise, enchantment and astonishment before the beauty of the trees and flowers. It is in these spaces that we immerse ourselves, relax and find tranquillity and the strength to enable us to create more. A garden has a ver y precise function: restoring us to peace with ourselves and with others. Legend tells us that the first garden was born at the foot of a large, majestic, imposing tree. As a mark of respect, the space around it has always been cleaned and swept, and thus became sacred. This is the religious origin of the garden. Legend also tells us that the first gardener was not only a farmer, but a magician, as both know the vir tues of plants and their uses in medicine. When I arrived in Morocco in 1985 – my husband had just become the Italian ambassador there – as a gardener, I began to obser ve this splendid countr y’s nature, star ting with the garden where I lived. It was the garden of the Italian embassy, where nearly half the facade was covered by an enormous cup of gold vine, the likes of
Jardin Majorelle - Marrakech
INTRODUCTION
MOROCCO IN BLOOM A B O O K, A STO RY, A PAS S IO N
This book is dedicated to all those who love plants and gardens. I can cer tainly say that I am ‘green-fingered’: I was born into a family where plants constituted the basis of our lives – the first straight lines I remember were the long rows of poplars lined up in perfect order on my grandfather’s land in Saonara, a small village in Veneto. If I close my eyes, I can still smell the strong scent of the gardenias, on an enclosed plot in a greenhouse with whitewashed windows: as a child, I imagined that I had waved a magic wand and been transpor ted into a perfume bottle. My father handed a love and passion for nature down to me and, above all, he taught me to see the harmony that always reigns in natural environments. We create gardens by imitating and modelling nature, and gardens must always be harmonious; when we enter a green space, we must feel peace, then surprise, enchantment and astonishment before the beauty of the trees and flowers. It is in these spaces that we immerse ourselves, relax and find tranquillity and the strength to enable us to create more. A garden has a ver y precise function: restoring us to peace with ourselves and with others. Legend tells us that the first garden was born at the foot of a large, majestic, imposing tree. As a mark of respect, the space around it has always been cleaned and swept, and thus became sacred. This is the religious origin of the garden. Legend also tells us that the first gardener was not only a farmer, but a magician, as both know the vir tues of plants and their uses in medicine. When I arrived in Morocco in 1985 – my husband had just become the Italian ambassador there – as a gardener, I began to obser ve this splendid countr y’s nature, star ting with the garden where I lived. It was the garden of the Italian embassy, where nearly half the facade was covered by an enormous cup of gold vine, the likes of
12 | 13
MOROCCO IN BLOOM | INTRODUCTION
which I had never seen before. I wondered if it was a threat or an invitation, decided that the latter
I had to take notes, especially as we diplomats are nomads: we are here today, but not necessarily
was the correct answer and soon learned that Rabat has an exceptional climate for plants, where
tomorrow or the day after. I have learned in the last for ty years that we have to put down roots
fantasies (especially green ones) can be given free rein. I remember being faced with reorganising
immediately, that is to say, plant, but also write. This is where my book, Morocco in Bloom, has come
the garden and feeling like a painter in front of a vast, blank canvas with an infinite palette of
from. These pages are the notes I took as a gardener in Morocco: throughout the writing process, I
colours at my disposal. This experience can be both worr ying and terrifying, but I felt only freedom
considered that those who love plants might like to know about my gardening methods.
and happiness. It was as if I had found my natural habitat. Thus, along with some friends who
However, this book does not claim to be a gardening manual in the strict sense of the term: it is
were exper t botanists, I began to obser ve and visit many public gardens and parks where I would
more a collection of personal experiences I had, day after day, with the leaves, the ground, the seeds,
admire magnificent and stunningly large plant specimens.
the cuttings, the bulbs, the pickaxes, the trimmers, the raffia, the stakes, the pots, the fer tiliser…
But I saw the most striking evidence of Rabat’s miraculous microclimate while visiting the
In fact, although flowers and plants do not change, the number of variations they have
‘Jardin Exotique’ in Bouknadel. There, on flat terrain near the sea, a unique ensemble of plants
increases. I must add that in the past few years there has been a significant rise in the number of
has been created, which combines features from the tropical rainforest to the savannah, from
beautiful gardens in Morocco, enabled by the remarkable development of plant nurseries, which
lakeside vegetation to rock gardens. What impressed me the most in this natural monument was the
boast varieties from Australia to the Americas, plants that have found favourable terrain to which
coexistence of thousands of plants, which are perfectly acclimatised to it. I had absolutely no plans
to acclimatise in Morocco. It is true that the danger of globalisation affects not only cuisine, but
to write a book when I arrived in Morocco, but I realised immediately that nature, and plants in
also gardening. It is a phenomenon that risks creating beautiful but tasteless gardens, which can
par ticular, change quickly here. I also realised that, if I wanted to imprint this experience on my mind,
be found in Marrakech but could equally be in Los Angeles, or vice versa: it is up to each of us
12 | 13
MOROCCO IN BLOOM | INTRODUCTION
which I had never seen before. I wondered if it was a threat or an invitation, decided that the latter
I had to take notes, especially as we diplomats are nomads: we are here today, but not necessarily
was the correct answer and soon learned that Rabat has an exceptional climate for plants, where
tomorrow or the day after. I have learned in the last for ty years that we have to put down roots
fantasies (especially green ones) can be given free rein. I remember being faced with reorganising
immediately, that is to say, plant, but also write. This is where my book, Morocco in Bloom, has come
the garden and feeling like a painter in front of a vast, blank canvas with an infinite palette of
from. These pages are the notes I took as a gardener in Morocco: throughout the writing process, I
colours at my disposal. This experience can be both worr ying and terrifying, but I felt only freedom
considered that those who love plants might like to know about my gardening methods.
and happiness. It was as if I had found my natural habitat. Thus, along with some friends who
However, this book does not claim to be a gardening manual in the strict sense of the term: it is
were exper t botanists, I began to obser ve and visit many public gardens and parks where I would
more a collection of personal experiences I had, day after day, with the leaves, the ground, the seeds,
admire magnificent and stunningly large plant specimens.
the cuttings, the bulbs, the pickaxes, the trimmers, the raffia, the stakes, the pots, the fer tiliser…
But I saw the most striking evidence of Rabat’s miraculous microclimate while visiting the
In fact, although flowers and plants do not change, the number of variations they have
‘Jardin Exotique’ in Bouknadel. There, on flat terrain near the sea, a unique ensemble of plants
increases. I must add that in the past few years there has been a significant rise in the number of
has been created, which combines features from the tropical rainforest to the savannah, from
beautiful gardens in Morocco, enabled by the remarkable development of plant nurseries, which
lakeside vegetation to rock gardens. What impressed me the most in this natural monument was the
boast varieties from Australia to the Americas, plants that have found favourable terrain to which
coexistence of thousands of plants, which are perfectly acclimatised to it. I had absolutely no plans
to acclimatise in Morocco. It is true that the danger of globalisation affects not only cuisine, but
to write a book when I arrived in Morocco, but I realised immediately that nature, and plants in
also gardening. It is a phenomenon that risks creating beautiful but tasteless gardens, which can
par ticular, change quickly here. I also realised that, if I wanted to imprint this experience on my mind,
be found in Marrakech but could equally be in Los Angeles, or vice versa: it is up to each of us
14 | 15
MOROCCO IN BLOOM | INTRODUCTION
Le Jardin Secret - Medina Marrakech
to protect our gardens from this threat, never neglecting the per vading spirit of the garden, the tradition of the place – the historical, botanical and cultural tradition. A garden must be planted not just in the ground, but in its own ground. But each of us has a magical box that is full of hopes and dreams. This box contains our ideal garden, one that probably resembles the Moorish gardens that J. C . Forestier described in 1918: ‘To be places of respite and joy, gardens combine the lively scents of the day and the night, the harmoniously clashing colours of the flowers, foliage and soil, the warmth of the shade and the freshness of the waters. The colours of the flowers and the clay, softened by the bright light, scents, dense shade, little games played by the perpetually present, murmuring waters…these are the essential features of a Moorish garden.’
1
Arab gardens, however, are conceived through the idea of recreating heaven on ear th. The soul of a Moroccan garden is the riad – an interior cour tyard garden in a traditional Moroccan home. I get a par ticular sensation when I enter a riad: it is a magical and mysterious enclosed space. To boost its charm, the arrangement and colours of the plants and flowers has no set scheme, which means total freedom to create unique combinations; the water and the scent of the flowers are the basis for ever ything. In a riad, the true beating hear t of the garden in Morocco, the really magical thing is the sensation of peace, strangely created by thousands of shapes and colours that are reconstructed in the eye as if it is looking through a kaleidoscope. I believe that this is why the poet Salah Stétié wrote: ‘par t of the soul is a garden’. The riad, as described by Jean Gallotti in his 1926 work on Arab gardens and houses, is nothing more than a large room with no roof where all is clarity and colour, order and freshness. In these spaces, we find tranquillity and strength. Upon entering a Moroccan house, after passing through a room that is normally fairly dark and cool, we come directly to the riad, which is an integral par t of the house in which plants and flowers are the furniture, and the wallpaper is replaced by flowering cups of gold vines and all types of bougainvillea. Your feet do not actually touch the bare ground anywhere, as zellige, enamelled bricks, marble or simply terracotta tiles cover the ground by forming paths that join the walls of the house together in such a way that the flower beds almost look like flowerpots. The difference in level between the ground and the paths is always noticeable, as if a ribbon has been laid out for more comfor table walking. Water is always present in marble bowls, which are called khossa and are positioned along the central axis of the pathways that form crosses connecting the four buildings.
14 | 15
MOROCCO IN BLOOM | INTRODUCTION
Le Jardin Secret - Medina Marrakech
to protect our gardens from this threat, never neglecting the per vading spirit of the garden, the tradition of the place – the historical, botanical and cultural tradition. A garden must be planted not just in the ground, but in its own ground. But each of us has a magical box that is full of hopes and dreams. This box contains our ideal garden, one that probably resembles the Moorish gardens that J. C . Forestier described in 1918: ‘To be places of respite and joy, gardens combine the lively scents of the day and the night, the harmoniously clashing colours of the flowers, foliage and soil, the warmth of the shade and the freshness of the waters. The colours of the flowers and the clay, softened by the bright light, scents, dense shade, little games played by the perpetually present, murmuring waters…these are the essential features of a Moorish garden.’
1
Arab gardens, however, are conceived through the idea of recreating heaven on ear th. The soul of a Moroccan garden is the riad – an interior cour tyard garden in a traditional Moroccan home. I get a par ticular sensation when I enter a riad: it is a magical and mysterious enclosed space. To boost its charm, the arrangement and colours of the plants and flowers has no set scheme, which means total freedom to create unique combinations; the water and the scent of the flowers are the basis for ever ything. In a riad, the true beating hear t of the garden in Morocco, the really magical thing is the sensation of peace, strangely created by thousands of shapes and colours that are reconstructed in the eye as if it is looking through a kaleidoscope. I believe that this is why the poet Salah Stétié wrote: ‘par t of the soul is a garden’. The riad, as described by Jean Gallotti in his 1926 work on Arab gardens and houses, is nothing more than a large room with no roof where all is clarity and colour, order and freshness. In these spaces, we find tranquillity and strength. Upon entering a Moroccan house, after passing through a room that is normally fairly dark and cool, we come directly to the riad, which is an integral par t of the house in which plants and flowers are the furniture, and the wallpaper is replaced by flowering cups of gold vines and all types of bougainvillea. Your feet do not actually touch the bare ground anywhere, as zellige, enamelled bricks, marble or simply terracotta tiles cover the ground by forming paths that join the walls of the house together in such a way that the flower beds almost look like flowerpots. The difference in level between the ground and the paths is always noticeable, as if a ribbon has been laid out for more comfor table walking. Water is always present in marble bowls, which are called khossa and are positioned along the central axis of the pathways that form crosses connecting the four buildings.
16 | 17
MOROCCO IN BLOOM | INTRODUCTION
Fountains can often be found in recesses in the lateral walls. Decoration with stone, wood and
peace that is whispered throughout the garden, among the leaves of the trees, through the palm
ear thenware is always ver y impor tant, sometimes even more impor tant than the plants. The riad,
fronds and in the bubbling of the fountains. The whole garden speaks. This book is simply intended
as Gallotti described it, is a garden that has had life breathed into it. Here trees and flowers draw
to help us understand its language.
upon and stimulate the human body’s senses. Smell, with the scents of flowers and oranges filling the air : lilies, jasmines, honeysuckle, four-o’clocks, night-blooming jasmines, moonflowers. Touch, with the scented leaves of the geraniums, the aromatic herbs, the silky smoothness of rose petals.
I would like to finish this introduction by citing an extract from a speech given by His Majesty King Hassan II:
Sound, with the murmuring of the water in the fountains, the birdsong, the sound of the wind.
‘Tradition is like a plant,
Taste: the taste of the fruits, vegetables and aromatic herbs. It is exactly what we were saying
we have to water it, maintain it, give it new shoots.
above, as if in front of each garden there were an indication, or rather an invitation: ‘Please touch’! I
I have re-sown a great deal in the past 26 years.
have always felt that the difference between ‘Western’ gardens – Italian, French or English gardens,
And our garden, our heritage, is growing ever more beautiful.’
for example – and Arab gardens is that Western gardens beget, above all, an intellectual pleasure,
.
while Arab gardens beget a more sensual pleasure. The former, whether it is classical or romantic, is a garden made to be seen and contemplated from afar in order to appreciate its layout, balance and perspectives. One of the key elements of the Arab garden is the pergola – a shaded walkway. I saw some quite extraordinar y examples of these in Morocco, such as one I admired in a house in Tangier, made only of lemon trees. It was sheltered from the wind, positioned in the sun, well-trimmed by exper t hands, a sight to behold when completely covered with lemons, and even more so when the flowers filled the air with their delicate scent. I thought I might pass out from the intensity of the fragrance. Once I saw a pergola of night-blooming jasmines whose scent was so strong that I felt that, as in One Thousand and One Nights, it could have been used as a narcotic to stun the beloved. I also saw a pergola of angel’s trumpets, and during the night the large bells opened their immaculate robes with their full, intoxicating fragrance; and beneath that, I saw arum lilies with their calyxes open as if they were drinking in the scent. I must say that Morocco is one of the Mediterranean locations that is most conducive to gardening. And that is simply because its climate allows flowers to be staggered throughout the entire year, meaning that a Moroccan gardener’s calendar is almost structured like a flower garland. This book is therefore a contribution towards better botanical and historical knowledge of the invaluable par t of Moroccan heritage that consists of its gardens, a heritage that constantly needs
1- J.C .N. Forestier, “Jardins Arabes,” France-Maroc (a monthly magazine published by the Comité des Foires du Maroc),
maintaining: it is not just a question of a shovel and a rake, but above all of love for the message of
15 March 1918.
16 | 17
MOROCCO IN BLOOM | INTRODUCTION
Fountains can often be found in recesses in the lateral walls. Decoration with stone, wood and
peace that is whispered throughout the garden, among the leaves of the trees, through the palm
ear thenware is always ver y impor tant, sometimes even more impor tant than the plants. The riad,
fronds and in the bubbling of the fountains. The whole garden speaks. This book is simply intended
as Gallotti described it, is a garden that has had life breathed into it. Here trees and flowers draw
to help us understand its language.
upon and stimulate the human body’s senses. Smell, with the scents of flowers and oranges filling the air : lilies, jasmines, honeysuckle, four-o’clocks, night-blooming jasmines, moonflowers. Touch, with the scented leaves of the geraniums, the aromatic herbs, the silky smoothness of rose petals.
I would like to finish this introduction by citing an extract from a speech given by His Majesty King Hassan II:
Sound, with the murmuring of the water in the fountains, the birdsong, the sound of the wind.
‘Tradition is like a plant,
Taste: the taste of the fruits, vegetables and aromatic herbs. It is exactly what we were saying
we have to water it, maintain it, give it new shoots.
above, as if in front of each garden there were an indication, or rather an invitation: ‘Please touch’! I
I have re-sown a great deal in the past 26 years.
have always felt that the difference between ‘Western’ gardens – Italian, French or English gardens,
And our garden, our heritage, is growing ever more beautiful.’
for example – and Arab gardens is that Western gardens beget, above all, an intellectual pleasure,
.
while Arab gardens beget a more sensual pleasure. The former, whether it is classical or romantic, is a garden made to be seen and contemplated from afar in order to appreciate its layout, balance and perspectives. One of the key elements of the Arab garden is the pergola – a shaded walkway. I saw some quite extraordinar y examples of these in Morocco, such as one I admired in a house in Tangier, made only of lemon trees. It was sheltered from the wind, positioned in the sun, well-trimmed by exper t hands, a sight to behold when completely covered with lemons, and even more so when the flowers filled the air with their delicate scent. I thought I might pass out from the intensity of the fragrance. Once I saw a pergola of night-blooming jasmines whose scent was so strong that I felt that, as in One Thousand and One Nights, it could have been used as a narcotic to stun the beloved. I also saw a pergola of angel’s trumpets, and during the night the large bells opened their immaculate robes with their full, intoxicating fragrance; and beneath that, I saw arum lilies with their calyxes open as if they were drinking in the scent. I must say that Morocco is one of the Mediterranean locations that is most conducive to gardening. And that is simply because its climate allows flowers to be staggered throughout the entire year, meaning that a Moroccan gardener’s calendar is almost structured like a flower garland. This book is therefore a contribution towards better botanical and historical knowledge of the invaluable par t of Moroccan heritage that consists of its gardens, a heritage that constantly needs
1- J.C .N. Forestier, “Jardins Arabes,” France-Maroc (a monthly magazine published by the Comité des Foires du Maroc),
maintaining: it is not just a question of a shovel and a rake, but above all of love for the message of
15 March 1918.
110 | 111
110 | 111
112 | 113 MOROCCO IN BLOOM | MAY
Previous page: A lemon pergola - Garden in Marrakech
PLANTS THAT FLOWER IN MAY AGAPANTHUS UMBELLATUS FAMILY Liliaceae ORIGIN South Africa Perennial evergreen bulb Full sun – partial shade
CALONYCTION ACULEATUM (Ipomea bona-nox) FAMILY Convolvulaceae ORIGIN Tropical America Climber Full sun
ALTHAEA ROSEA (hollyhocks) (ward barri) CLEOME HASSLERIANA (aka C. spinosa) Malvaceae FAMILY Cleomaceae China ORIGIN South America Perennial Annual Full sun Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
ANTIRRHINUM MAJUS (snapdragon) (Hankou Acsabua) Scrophulariaceae Europe, Asia Annual Full sun
CRINUM LONGIFOLIUM Amaryllidaceae India Bulb Full sun – partial shade
FAMILY ORIGIN
FAMILY ORIGIN
ASTER AMELLUS (Annagmyatou) Compositae Northern Europe, western Asia, eastern North America Deciduous perennial Full sun – partial shade
DATURA (aka Brugmansia) arborea, candida, versicolor, insignis, suaveolens FAMILY Solanaceae ORIGIN Mexico, Brazil, Chili, Peru, India Large and medium-sized deciduous shrub Full sun – partial shade
FAMILY ORIGIN
112 | 113 MOROCCO IN BLOOM | MAY
Previous page: A lemon pergola - Garden in Marrakech
PLANTS THAT FLOWER IN MAY AGAPANTHUS UMBELLATUS FAMILY Liliaceae ORIGIN South Africa Perennial evergreen bulb Full sun – partial shade
CALONYCTION ACULEATUM (Ipomea bona-nox) FAMILY Convolvulaceae ORIGIN Tropical America Climber Full sun
ALTHAEA ROSEA (hollyhocks) (ward barri) CLEOME HASSLERIANA (aka C. spinosa) Malvaceae FAMILY Cleomaceae China ORIGIN South America Perennial Annual Full sun Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
ANTIRRHINUM MAJUS (snapdragon) (Hankou Acsabua) Scrophulariaceae Europe, Asia Annual Full sun
CRINUM LONGIFOLIUM Amaryllidaceae India Bulb Full sun – partial shade
FAMILY ORIGIN
FAMILY ORIGIN
ASTER AMELLUS (Annagmyatou) Compositae Northern Europe, western Asia, eastern North America Deciduous perennial Full sun – partial shade
DATURA (aka Brugmansia) arborea, candida, versicolor, insignis, suaveolens FAMILY Solanaceae ORIGIN Mexico, Brazil, Chili, Peru, India Large and medium-sized deciduous shrub Full sun – partial shade
FAMILY ORIGIN
116 | 117 MOROCCO IN BLOOM | MAY
LONICERA JAPONICA (honeysuckle) (Soltanou Al Jabal) FAMILY Adoxaceae ORIGIN Japan, eastern Asia Climber Full sun LUPINUS POLYPHYLLUS hybrid Russel Papilionaceae North America Deciduous perennial Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
MANDEVILLA SUAVEOLENS Apocynaceae Bolivia, Argentina Climber Full sun – partial shade
FAMILY ORIGIN
NERIUM OLEANDER (oleander) (Ad’difla) Apocynaceae Mediterranean basin Large evergreen shrub Full sun – partial shade
FAMILY ORIGIN
NICOTIANA AFFINIS Solanaceae Tobago, south-eastern Brazil Annual Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
PASSIFLORA EDULIS (Zahnatou Al Achjane) Passifloraceae South America Climber Full sun – partial shade
FAMILY ORIGIN
PELARGONIUM MACRANTHUM (Marounia) Geraniaceae South Africa Evergreen perennial Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
PETUNIA (Petounia) Solanaceae Western South America, Brazil Annual Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
PHLOX PANICULATA Polemoniaceae Western and northern America Deciduous perennial Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
PLUMBAGO CAPENSIS (aka P. auriculata) Plumbaginaceae South Africa Climber Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
PLUMERIA ACUTIFOLIA (frangipani) Apocynaceae Tropical America, Antilles Medium-sized deciduous shrub Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
ROSA (rose) (Al Ward) Rosaceae Northern hemisphere Medium-sized deciduous shrub Full sun – partial shade Deciduous climber Full sun Large shrub Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
TITHONIA ROTUNDIFOLIA Compositae Mexico, Central America Medium-sized deciduous shrub Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
TROPAEOLUM MAJUS (nasturtium) (Salboutoun) Tropaeolaceae Peru, Colombia Annual Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
VIBURNUM OPULUS (snowball tree) Adoxaceae Europe Large deciduous shrub Full sun – partial shade
FAMILY ORIGIN
ZANTEDESCHIA AETHIOPICA (arum lily) (Abiadoun) Araceae South Africa Rhizome Full sun – partial shade
FAMILY ORIGIN
116 | 117 MOROCCO IN BLOOM | MAY
LONICERA JAPONICA (honeysuckle) (Soltanou Al Jabal) FAMILY Adoxaceae ORIGIN Japan, eastern Asia Climber Full sun LUPINUS POLYPHYLLUS hybrid Russel Papilionaceae North America Deciduous perennial Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
MANDEVILLA SUAVEOLENS Apocynaceae Bolivia, Argentina Climber Full sun – partial shade
FAMILY ORIGIN
NERIUM OLEANDER (oleander) (Ad’difla) Apocynaceae Mediterranean basin Large evergreen shrub Full sun – partial shade
FAMILY ORIGIN
NICOTIANA AFFINIS Solanaceae Tobago, south-eastern Brazil Annual Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
PASSIFLORA EDULIS (Zahnatou Al Achjane) Passifloraceae South America Climber Full sun – partial shade
FAMILY ORIGIN
PELARGONIUM MACRANTHUM (Marounia) Geraniaceae South Africa Evergreen perennial Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
PETUNIA (Petounia) Solanaceae Western South America, Brazil Annual Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
PHLOX PANICULATA Polemoniaceae Western and northern America Deciduous perennial Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
PLUMBAGO CAPENSIS (aka P. auriculata) Plumbaginaceae South Africa Climber Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
PLUMERIA ACUTIFOLIA (frangipani) Apocynaceae Tropical America, Antilles Medium-sized deciduous shrub Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
ROSA (rose) (Al Ward) Rosaceae Northern hemisphere Medium-sized deciduous shrub Full sun – partial shade Deciduous climber Full sun Large shrub Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
TITHONIA ROTUNDIFOLIA Compositae Mexico, Central America Medium-sized deciduous shrub Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
TROPAEOLUM MAJUS (nasturtium) (Salboutoun) Tropaeolaceae Peru, Colombia Annual Full sun
FAMILY ORIGIN
VIBURNUM OPULUS (snowball tree) Adoxaceae Europe Large deciduous shrub Full sun – partial shade
FAMILY ORIGIN
ZANTEDESCHIA AETHIOPICA (arum lily) (Abiadoun) Araceae South Africa Rhizome Full sun – partial shade
FAMILY ORIGIN
118 | 119 MOROCCO IN BLOOM | MAY
COMPENDIUM The agapanthus plant, originally from South Africa, delights in a very romantic name derived from the Greek agape (love) and anthos (flower). ‘Lilies! Lilacs! Verbenas! Flowers! that I throw by the handful! Roses cradling dreamy songs.’ Mallarmé Plumeria is the botanical name for the frangipani tree. It was named for the Italian marquis Muzio Frangipane, who presented a perfume extracted from musk and the roots of violets to the cour t of Catherine de’ Medici; its fragrance was practically identical to that of the frangipani. In Sicily, it’s called Pomelia and is grown on balconies, the buds protected in winter by eggshells. Unbelievable yet true, it is also called Pomelia in Hawaii. Is it possible that a romantic Sicilian seafarer took it there? The ancient Egyptians created paper by criss-crossing and superimposing tiny filaments of the interior of the papyrus stem (Cyperus papyrus). This process resulted in a paper-like substance called papyrus. The ancient Phoenician city of Byblos was known for the manufacture of papyrus, hence the French word bibliotèque meaning library.
Would you like an invigorating lotion made from plants? First throw a good handful of rose petals, carnations, violets or lavender into a half litre of boiling water, stir for several minutes, then add a cup of wine vinegar. Pour the solution into a bottle, then seal it and let it mature for approximately two weeks in a warm spot. Your lotion will be ready after filtering it through a fine-mesh sieve, or better yet, through a muslin or chiffon cloth. An age-old custom in hammams is to scrub the body after a hot bath with small branches of rosemary, an aromatic and tonic plant. Rocket (Raphanus), also known as arugula, grows between rocks in abandoned, remote areas. It is considered an aphrodisiac in Morocco. Safflower oil, made from the flowers of Carthamus tinctorius (Qurtum), also known as dyer’s saffron, is sometimes used in cooking as well, but only for the colour! Saffron is also considered an aphrodisiac. Do you need a natural sleeping aid? In the past, poppy seeds have been crushed, mixed with honey, and taken as a natural sleeping aid, perhaps to engender dreams of endless waves of scarlet-coloured poppy fields bordered by wheat. Garlands made from wild peony flowers are recommended for calming over-excited children. ‘He who wants a rose must put up with thorns.’
118 | 119 MOROCCO IN BLOOM | MAY
COMPENDIUM The agapanthus plant, originally from South Africa, delights in a very romantic name derived from the Greek agape (love) and anthos (flower). ‘Lilies! Lilacs! Verbenas! Flowers! that I throw by the handful! Roses cradling dreamy songs.’ Mallarmé Plumeria is the botanical name for the frangipani tree. It was named for the Italian marquis Muzio Frangipane, who presented a perfume extracted from musk and the roots of violets to the cour t of Catherine de’ Medici; its fragrance was practically identical to that of the frangipani. In Sicily, it’s called Pomelia and is grown on balconies, the buds protected in winter by eggshells. Unbelievable yet true, it is also called Pomelia in Hawaii. Is it possible that a romantic Sicilian seafarer took it there? The ancient Egyptians created paper by criss-crossing and superimposing tiny filaments of the interior of the papyrus stem (Cyperus papyrus). This process resulted in a paper-like substance called papyrus. The ancient Phoenician city of Byblos was known for the manufacture of papyrus, hence the French word bibliotèque meaning library.
Would you like an invigorating lotion made from plants? First throw a good handful of rose petals, carnations, violets or lavender into a half litre of boiling water, stir for several minutes, then add a cup of wine vinegar. Pour the solution into a bottle, then seal it and let it mature for approximately two weeks in a warm spot. Your lotion will be ready after filtering it through a fine-mesh sieve, or better yet, through a muslin or chiffon cloth. An age-old custom in hammams is to scrub the body after a hot bath with small branches of rosemary, an aromatic and tonic plant. Rocket (Raphanus), also known as arugula, grows between rocks in abandoned, remote areas. It is considered an aphrodisiac in Morocco. Safflower oil, made from the flowers of Carthamus tinctorius (Qurtum), also known as dyer’s saffron, is sometimes used in cooking as well, but only for the colour! Saffron is also considered an aphrodisiac. Do you need a natural sleeping aid? In the past, poppy seeds have been crushed, mixed with honey, and taken as a natural sleeping aid, perhaps to engender dreams of endless waves of scarlet-coloured poppy fields bordered by wheat. Garlands made from wild peony flowers are recommended for calming over-excited children. ‘He who wants a rose must put up with thorns.’
122 | 123 MOROCCO IN BLOOM | JUNE
Previous page: Harmony between palm and bougainvillea Portal and staircase in an Arab garden (Tangier)
GARDENING JOBS AND ADVICE Our floral narrative has changed in June; a new cycle of flowers has begun, accompanied by those from preceding months, such as the heliotropes that are still in bloom, and the Cape marigolds, petunias and felicias. I am busy at work in the flower beds with their wilted flowers. I leave some so that I can collect seeds later ; I turn over the soil and add a good dose of compost, preferably black. At the front we find white petunias (having planted ten per square metre). Behind them are the white and pink periwinkles, then the blue phlox and roses. Right at the back of the flower beds are the Chinese asters. In general, I repeat the same arrangement ever y two metres. To contrast with the white petunias, I alternate my arrangement with pale violet Iberis gibraltarica, a native of Morocco and Spain. In between my patio stones, I have planted double flower Portulaca grandiflora in various colours: red, pink, salmon, yellow and white. These are generous and joyful plants that thrive in hot climates and offer a long flowering period. In another area of the garden, I have planted Nicotiana, verbena, and carnations (Dianthus barbatus), California poppies (Eschscholzia), Chinese carnations (Dianthus chinensis), and sage (Salvia uliginosa). These flowers guarantee a flower-filled summer, assuming of course we take care to water them ever y day, paying attention not to drown the young shoots and remembering that, due to the heat in Morocco, it is best to water at the end of the day. Fundamentally it is ver y easy to design a garden appropriate to the par ticular climate of Morocco as long as we keep in mind several cautionar y measures and remember to be patient and methodical. For low borders, I plant white or mauve alyssum and lobelia, which enchants the eye with its dazzling blue colour. Plant lobelia ever y two months to have constant blooms. In Morocco, a different acacia seems to flower ever y month. The massive hedges of Acacia karroo, covered
122 | 123 MOROCCO IN BLOOM | JUNE
Previous page: Harmony between palm and bougainvillea Portal and staircase in an Arab garden (Tangier)
GARDENING JOBS AND ADVICE Our floral narrative has changed in June; a new cycle of flowers has begun, accompanied by those from preceding months, such as the heliotropes that are still in bloom, and the Cape marigolds, petunias and felicias. I am busy at work in the flower beds with their wilted flowers. I leave some so that I can collect seeds later ; I turn over the soil and add a good dose of compost, preferably black. At the front we find white petunias (having planted ten per square metre). Behind them are the white and pink periwinkles, then the blue phlox and roses. Right at the back of the flower beds are the Chinese asters. In general, I repeat the same arrangement ever y two metres. To contrast with the white petunias, I alternate my arrangement with pale violet Iberis gibraltarica, a native of Morocco and Spain. In between my patio stones, I have planted double flower Portulaca grandiflora in various colours: red, pink, salmon, yellow and white. These are generous and joyful plants that thrive in hot climates and offer a long flowering period. In another area of the garden, I have planted Nicotiana, verbena, and carnations (Dianthus barbatus), California poppies (Eschscholzia), Chinese carnations (Dianthus chinensis), and sage (Salvia uliginosa). These flowers guarantee a flower-filled summer, assuming of course we take care to water them ever y day, paying attention not to drown the young shoots and remembering that, due to the heat in Morocco, it is best to water at the end of the day. Fundamentally it is ver y easy to design a garden appropriate to the par ticular climate of Morocco as long as we keep in mind several cautionar y measures and remember to be patient and methodical. For low borders, I plant white or mauve alyssum and lobelia, which enchants the eye with its dazzling blue colour. Plant lobelia ever y two months to have constant blooms. In Morocco, a different acacia seems to flower ever y month. The massive hedges of Acacia karroo, covered
Geranium madeirense
with long, dangerous white thorns, offer a dense and sunny flowering and provide a good security barrier to a proper ty, arguably more effective than brick walls. An Acacia karroo border should be kept under control as this plant is quite invasive. It should be severely cut back once or twice a year, both on the top and the sides. The bougainvilleas (Bougainvillea sanderiana) continue to flower as their tangled, cascading branches creep over the trees, covering them with a sumptuous violet mantle mellowed when mixed with pale blue or white Plumbago capensis. Bougainvilleas are ver y generous plants, providing us with flower s all summer long and until the fir st cold weather. The plumbago in my garden is ver y undisciplined, growing wherever I don’t want it to. Despite numerous trimmings in autumn, plumbago invades the space of other plants, and I need to keep it under control on a weekly basis. Around my swimming pool I have created a circle of half-white, half-blue plumbago, interspersed with roses and white oleanders. The first row is a border of white petunias. One can see I have a preference for this colour, and there’s a reason for it: white enhances other colours, it opens up spaces, and merges beautifully with the green leaves and lawn. I would even say that white is a brilliantly transparent colour, bright and luminous. My white roses juxtaposed against the blue plumbago echo the white clouds in the sky. My alyssum against dark blue forget-me-nots reminds me of white beaches embracing the sea. June is without a doubt the most fragrant month of the year : ‘ever y flower evaporates as if an incense burner’. Who has not inhaled the intense, overwhelming perfume of the night-blooming cestrum, also known as lady-of-the-night? It is the fragrance of Morocco par excellence. This shrub, which has so accurate a name, sends its perfumed message as night falls. Thousands of tiny, pale yellow flowers become truly intoxicating censers. It is quite hardy and can reach excessive propor tions, so should be pruned back regularly. Unfor tunately, its leaves are often attacked by aphids and there are ver y few reliable remedies.
Geranium madeirense
with long, dangerous white thorns, offer a dense and sunny flowering and provide a good security barrier to a proper ty, arguably more effective than brick walls. An Acacia karroo border should be kept under control as this plant is quite invasive. It should be severely cut back once or twice a year, both on the top and the sides. The bougainvilleas (Bougainvillea sanderiana) continue to flower as their tangled, cascading branches creep over the trees, covering them with a sumptuous violet mantle mellowed when mixed with pale blue or white Plumbago capensis. Bougainvilleas are ver y generous plants, providing us with flower s all summer long and until the fir st cold weather. The plumbago in my garden is ver y undisciplined, growing wherever I don’t want it to. Despite numerous trimmings in autumn, plumbago invades the space of other plants, and I need to keep it under control on a weekly basis. Around my swimming pool I have created a circle of half-white, half-blue plumbago, interspersed with roses and white oleanders. The first row is a border of white petunias. One can see I have a preference for this colour, and there’s a reason for it: white enhances other colours, it opens up spaces, and merges beautifully with the green leaves and lawn. I would even say that white is a brilliantly transparent colour, bright and luminous. My white roses juxtaposed against the blue plumbago echo the white clouds in the sky. My alyssum against dark blue forget-me-nots reminds me of white beaches embracing the sea. June is without a doubt the most fragrant month of the year : ‘ever y flower evaporates as if an incense burner’. Who has not inhaled the intense, overwhelming perfume of the night-blooming cestrum, also known as lady-of-the-night? It is the fragrance of Morocco par excellence. This shrub, which has so accurate a name, sends its perfumed message as night falls. Thousands of tiny, pale yellow flowers become truly intoxicating censers. It is quite hardy and can reach excessive propor tions, so should be pruned back regularly. Unfor tunately, its leaves are often attacked by aphids and there are ver y few reliable remedies.