Private Gardens of Taroudant

BEHIND THESE OLD PISÉ WALLS
THE ANCIENT CITY OF TAROUDANT
IS QUIETLY CHANGING.

A single figure heads home from the fields and his dress is that of his ancestors, the blue and black—perhaps only the shoes are modern, made in China by now. And the walls to his right are those that have held this city of his in safety for hundreds of years. But strangely there are new residents just beyond them now busily restoring Taroudant's architectural patrimony. If he climbs up on the wall, an easy enough task, he can look down into some of these gardens and even perhaps get a glimpse, if he permits himself, of a young European girl sunbathing. What goes through his mind one wonders?

This beautiful old house has been transformed by a pair of Belgian architects. I have no idea what it might have looked like before this recent work was done, how much of this is authentic and how much a fantasy come to life. But a charming fantasy it is in any case.

To the side, in this same garden, a pergola, built to afford shade at the poolside terrace, is covered with climbing roses that thrive in this dim winter sunshine.

The gardening style is a European/Islamic hybrid of roses, rosemary and olive trees—it looks like Tuscany perhaps, but not enough to wake you from your reverie.

This house might have once been the home of a well-to-do merchant—even without the pool it would still have the air of a quality residence.

This is a different house with a series of less formal terraces, this one in artemisia vulgaris and rosemary.