Menara Gardens, Marrakech. Hosts The Jardin 'Art.

Quite close to the city there is a shady olive grove called the Menara Gardens. A place for us city folks to take a stroll on a beautiful spring day. Sit quietly away from the Medina’s mayhem. While the children run around freely and explore amongest the olive orchard’s, until they find just the right secret spot for a  picnic lunch in the trees.

But this weekend was slightly different, this weekend there was a carnival  feel in the gardens. This weekend spring was in the air, so Marrakech turned out to celebrate down at the Menara gardens at the Festival de L’Art Jardin. A festival dedicated to all things flora and fauna. Patronised by the King MohammedVI and with Princesss Lalla Hasnna as president. Very well organised by the magazine Jardins du Maroc (Abderrazak Benchaabane).  This event is becoming a wonderful spring treat for all us residents of Marrakech. More info on this event can be found at

festival@jardinsdumaroc.com

The professional garden designers turned out with their designer displays… 

But further down the flower strewn path came the really exciting part…….The gardens built by the children from local schools. This wonderful idea to include and encourage the efforts from local school children to represnt  the sort of environments that surround them, gave the event a wonderful feeling of community and not just a place for professionals to sell their wares.

Cute……..

The Menara Gardens is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Marrakech. The gardens grow around a huge man made reservoir, with a  romantic pavilion overlooking the water. Built in the 16th century by the Saadian Dynasty and renovated in 1868 by  Moulay Abderrahmane  he used  the pavilion as an escape from the city during the hot summer months.

As you climb the stairs by the pavilion look out for the man selling the old bread, make sure you spend a few dirahams so that you can have some fun and feed the MONSTER fish that lurk in the murky waters…

You will find The Menara Gardens at

Avenue de la Menara, Marrakech.

The gardens are free to enter and there is a restaurant set into the base of the reservoir for refreshments.

Unfortunately you can no longer visit the pavilion itself.

 

 

 

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~ by marrakechxanthepat on April 13, 2009.