The gardens of Morocco beyond Marrakech
Four historic and botanical gardens in Rabat, Fes and Bouknadel, described independently with practical notes.
Morocco’s garden tradition is far older and wider than a single famous address. It draws on the Islamic courtyard garden with its four-part layout and central fountain, on the orchards and irrigation basins of the Almohad and Saadian dynasties, on Andalusian refinement carried across the Strait of Gibraltar, and on the botanical ambitions of the twentieth century. Below are four gardens beyond Marrakech that we consider essential for anyone who enjoyed Majorelle and wants to see the broader picture.
Rabat Botanical Test Garden, Rabat
Created in 1914 under the direction of the landscape architect Jean-Claude Nicolas Forestier and the horticulturist Marcel François, the Rabat Botanical Test Garden was conceived as a trial garden: a place to test which exotic plants, trees and crops could adapt to the Moroccan climate. Over the decades it accumulated a remarkable collection of species from Asia, Africa, the Americas and Australia. After years of decline, the garden underwent a major restoration in the 2000s and was classified as a national heritage site.
Today it is a peaceful public park of around seventeen hectares in the Agdal district, with avenues of palms, giant ficus trees with aerial roots, dense bamboo groves and an Andalusian section of clipped hedges and water features. It is popular with families from Rabat at weekends but rarely feels crowded. Entry arrangements are modest and handled on site; check locally for current opening hours.
The Andalusian Garden of the Kasbah des Oudayas, Rabat
The Kasbah des Oudayas stands on a cliff above the meeting point of the Bou Regreg river and the Atlantic Ocean, its whitewashed and blue-painted lanes among the most photographed in Morocco. Inside the walls, a sunken garden laid out in the early twentieth century in the Andalusian manner offers a contrast to the bustle outside. Paths divide beds of orange and lemon trees, roses, hibiscus, datura and bougainvillea, with the sound of trickling water throughout.
The garden sits beside the former palace that has housed a museum of Moroccan arts and jewellery. A traditional cafe on the terrace overlooks the estuary and the town of Salé opposite. Visit early in the morning or late afternoon for the softest light, and allow time to wander the kasbah’s lanes before or after.
Bou Jeloud Gardens, Fes
Known locally as Jnan Sbil, the Bou Jeloud Gardens lie between the medieval medina of Fes el-Bali and the royal quarter of Fes el-Jdid. It was laid out as a royal pleasure garden in the nineteenth century, taking water from the Oued Fes through a system of channels that once also powered a waterwheel. After a careful restoration completed in the early 2010s, the garden reopened as a calm public space with long water basins, palm avenues, bamboo, rose beds and ancient trees.
For visitors spending days in the dense lanes of the Fes medina, the Bou Jeloud Gardens offer green open space, benches in the shade and a welcome sense of breathing room. It is free or very inexpensive to enter and is used daily by local families and students. It makes an excellent first or last stop on a walk between Bab Bou Jeloud and the Mellah.
Exotic Gardens of Bouknadel, near Salé
About a dozen kilometres north of Rabat along the coast road, the Exotic Gardens of Bouknadel were created from the early 1950s by Marcel François, the same horticulturist involved with the Rabat Botanical Test Garden. Over several hectares he designed a sequence of themed gardens evoking landscapes from around the world – a Brazilian forest, a Japanese garden, a Polynesian corner, an Andalusian garden and more – connected by winding paths, rope bridges and small wooden walkways.
The gardens were restored in the 2000s and remain a favourite outing for families from the Rabat-Salé area. They feel adventurous and slightly wild compared with the tidy elegance of Majorelle, and they are best explored at a slow pace on a mild day.
Choosing between them
- For colour and design history: Majorelle Garden in Marrakech.
- For great trees and botanical variety: the Rabat Botanical Test Garden in Rabat.
- For a short, atmospheric stop with views: the Andalusian Garden of the Oudayas.
- For shade and space during a medina visit: Bou Jeloud Gardens in Fes.
- For children and a sense of exploration: the Exotic Gardens of Bouknadel.
Opening hours and admission at all of these sites are set by their managers and can change. Confirm locally before travelling, and see our seasons and planning page for advice on timing your trip.