The Secret Garden (Le Jardin Secret)

About The Secret Garden (Le Jardin Secret)

Le Jardin Secret (The Secret Garden) is a beautifully restored courtyard garden surrounded by historic walls. These gardens date back to the early 1500s, the palace around it was rebuilt in the 1800s, and after a ten year restoration it opened to the public in 2016. Inside the walls are two gardens side by side. The Islamic garden is laid out in four quarters around a central fountain using raised paths of green tile running between the beds of citrus and olive trees. The exotic garden follows the same layout but is filled with succulents and palms. In the middle, linking the two gardens, there is a red pavilion that creates the perfect spot to pause and capture each garden. The green tile paths work as amazing leading lines, letting you shoot straight down a path towards the fountain or the pavilion. A tower stands in one corner, that you can climb for an extra fee, and gives you the opportunity to capture the full pattern of the Islamic garden and out across the flat terracotta rooftops to the Atlas Mountains. High walls keep the courtyards in shade early and late in the day, so the capturing the gardens works best around midday (or under light cloud) when the green tiles and the water read evenly. If your goal is to capture the tower view, it's best to pick a day when the air over the city is clear enough to see the mountains. There is an entry fee to access the gardens and the tower ticket is a separate fee. If you end up here on a busy Saturday afternoon you can pause for a mint tea at the garden café while you wait out for just the right light or for crowds to clear. (Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco)

Where to find The Secret Garden (Le Jardin Secret)

Nearby Photo Spots