Set in the heart of the new part of the city, Jardin Majorelle is an oasis filled with bamboo, palms, cacti, and pools filled with lilies. The gardens were originally created over a period of forty years by French artist Jacques Majorelle. His passion for travel and for botany led him to fill the garden with rare and exotic plants collected along the way. He chose vibrant cobalt and shades of ochre to complement the greens and evoke the intensity of its African setting.      Finally finished in the 1930s, but not opened to the public until 1947, Jardin Majorelle had sadly fallen into disrepair by the 1960s. It wasn’t until 1980 that things began to look up when Yves Saint Laurent bought the gardens and restored them to their former beauty. Upon his death, Yves Saint Laurent’s ashes were scattered here and the gardens given as a gift to the city.       These days the gardens offer a beautiful respite from the heat and hecticness of Marrakech. Gleaming russet paths snake around the lush greenery and chirping birds bring the garden to life. There is a small Berber museum (worth visiting for the surreal lighting alone) and a gorgeous walled café with a stunning selection of teas on offer (and prices to match). The café also boasts a sprinkler-type system, as found in many local restaurants, that lets out bursts of cool mist at frequent intervals – just the thing for a summertime visit.    Entrance to the gardens is 50Dhs and the museum is 25Dhs. The gardens are best reached by a short taxi ride away from the medina which should cost no more than 30-40 dirham. The address? Rue Yves Saint Laurent, of course. What is the most beautiful garden you have ever visited?