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Escape the grey of the UK take a short flight to Morocco and indulge....

As a designer refreshing my mind and exposing my soul to vibrant colours, different cultures, patterns, textures and light helps to inspire and cultivate new ideas for my projects.

Exposing the mind to different experiences is a wonderful thing...

this is my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

and so I packed myself off to Morocco on Boxing day after cooking for 13 wonderful guests on Christmas Eve and my gorgeous family on Christmas Day.

Feeling a little worn out, a bit grey, a bit tired out from planting 5 gardens this autumn, a bit bogged down with lots of new design projects lined up and in need of some vitamin D and some inspiration.

I also needed to escape the january sales, rubbish tv and too many calorie loaded chocolates.

Am I feeling SAD
(Seasonal affective disorder), I think so....

It just so happens we are also designing a Moroccan themed garden in Chelsea for a swedish client and so what better time to escape the grey of the UK, the cold and dark nights and visit a wonderful third world country that is vibrant, exciting,warm and refreshing, 'I love morocco'

and so here's my inspiration, a palette of vibrancy collected on my travels, I'm now feeling revitalised and ready for our Greencube new year:

We (my husband Mike and me) spent 4 days in the foothills of the magnificent Atlas Mountains, staying at The Capaldi, a big thank you to Tara and Edward and their wonderful team. Go visit, you will not be disappointed. http://www.thecapaldi.com/the-capaldi/#about




We walked in the most landscape changing scenery through Berber villages, deserts and pine forests, birdwatching and relaxing, before 2 days of research and garden visiting in Marrakech:


the rich colours in the soil are seen in the materials, objects and building colours


Our first garden visit was to the Secret Garden, La Jardin Secret in the walled medina in the centre of Marrakesh.





Spiky Aloe striata planted and contrasting with fluffy Deschampsia


ground covering Bulbine frutescens


amazing craftsmanship



lavandula planted with Stipa en masse


painted panels and doors









the rill leads your eye down to the vibrant painted building at the far end, the secret garden in the centre of the medina in marrakech a gem of a garden that we visited twice, second time for a second look but also just to escape the madness of the mopeds, the fumes and the crazy vibrant city. Designed by Tom Stuart-Smith my hero.





hand painted tiles sold in the souks


we then moved onto the Yves Saint Laurent Garden, Jardin Majorelle

what a queue but worth it, filled with exotic planting and vibrant colours, azure blue, yellows and orange

am I over-using the word vibrant, I can't help it.















we then moved onto the Bahia Palace












The last stop was the Mamounia Hotel, wow what an amazing garden, filthy rich in contrast with its surroundings.











But what captivated my heart was the natural beauty of the landscape, I have left the best 'til last, enjoy, this is my second trip to Morocco and very special.

























I love morocco x















Comments




  1. It was really an amazing blog post and I was really impressed by reading this blog.

    Sugar Plant Design Consultants

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