For those readers who are like me and enjoy visiting an RHS garden, wandering around a National Trust property, or generally pottering about wherever there are plants, may I suggest a trip to Marrakech? The Moroccan city offers great weather at most times of the year (I’ll leave it up to you to decide if you can brave the 40+ degrees at the height of summer), and is accessible in just 4 hours from London making a garden tour around Marrakech the perfect way to spend a long weekend.

If that sounds up your garden path then let me introduce you to my five favourite gardens in and around Marrakech, each offering something a little different to the others.

Anima Garden

If I had to choose three words to describe Anima Garden is would be colourful, joyful, and surprising. The colour, joy and surprise not only come from the plants - a mixture of mediterranean inspired formal gardens (think rose beds bordered with thyme) and cacti - but from the amazing artwork that is displayed throughout. It won’t surprise you to hear that Anima was created under the direction of multimedia creator André Hellier, with many of the artworks and sculpture displayed around the garden being designed by the man himself. This garden is a short drive outside the city of Marrakech but well worth the journey.

2. Le Paradis du Safran

Now, this really is a hidden gem. Situated at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, Le Paradis de Safran is the passion project of Swiss-born Christine Ferrari; an organic botanical garden where they grow Crocus (for the saffron), medicinal plants, citrus and exotic fruit trees. A visit in November almost guarantees you will see the vibrant crocus fields at their best (just before the saffron harvest). One of the things I really love about this garden is how warm Christine is as a host. She took time out of her day to talk to us about the history of the garden before letting us explore the space. A highlight is the natural barefoot path where you are invited to walk the sensory pathways over different natural surfaces to the ending where a cooling foot bath and argan oil await you. Light refreshment and the most delicious bread I have ever eaten are also offered - yet another sign of Christine’s fantastic hosting.

3. Majorelle Gardens

This garden is often know to people as “The Yves Saint Laurent Garden” but it was, in fact, created by French artist Jacques Majorelle over a period of 40 years. The centre point of Jardin Majorelle is a Cubist villa designed by the French architect Paul Sinoir in the 1930s. The reason most people associated it with Saint Laurent is due to the fact that he purchased the property in the 1980s and worked to restore it, later opening it to the public. For me, whilst a lot of the planting wouldn’t cope very well in my Nottinghamshire garden, the bright colours of the architecture and the way that sculpture is used is definitely something I found inspirational. Just look at the bright blue of the villa walls!

4. Menara Gardens

Now for something completely different. An oasis in the city, featuring a beautiful 12th century pavilion. Originally designed as a royal retreat, the Menara Gardens have transformed into a fine display of the art of Moroccan garden design through the centuries. The centrepiece here is a huge reflecting pool which channels water from the mountains via a hydraulic system that was also developed in 12th century (quite the feat for something over 900 years old). The pool serves as both an irrigation reservoir and a cooling system for the surrounding areas. Speaking of the surrounding areas, I thoroughly recommend a wander around the lush olive groves - a welcome spot of shade if you get too warm.

5. The Secret Garden

Last but by no means least is The Secret Garden - a haven of tranquility slap bang in the middle of the bustling Medina. A fantastic example of Islamic art and architecture there are some fantastic structures and tile-work that showcase the planting beautifully. The green spaces are divided into an exotic garden and an Islamic garden. I found the Islamic garden particularly smart in its design as it is laid out in four parts, created to facilitate the irrigation of the grounds. The small channels of water running through the space are beautiful in their simplicity and definitely a feature that I can see being adopted in more ornamental gardens in the UK.

So there you have it, my top five gardens to visit in Marrakech. I’d love to hear from you if you have visited before or have plans to visit any gardens that haven’t been mentioned here. If this has peaked your interest I can highly recommend arranging tour via Travel Counsellors. This is the company that we used and we managed to fit in trips to all of the gardens mentioned above, alongside plenty of time for shopping, in just three days.