Umberto Pasti

Moroccan homes & gardens

I left Tangier yesterday. Sigh! For the last week I have been reading Umberto’s book Lost in Paradise about his garden at Rohuna (and another book set in Morocco called Hideous Kinky—also recommended). When you look at the images below, and gawp and squeal (I hope, because it was truly a joy to visit) you might see how there is too much to say about each image, so I thought it best to use his words in this post. I have pulled quotes from interviews and the pages of his books. Umberto is a writer first and a gardener second. Do note, you will see two properties here…the first in Tangier, the other in Rohuna south of the city. The quotes blur the two properties, but most are about the garden at Rohuna. Warmly, CG 

PS There’s a fun short film below featuring Umberto and Mickey Raymond (saw his house because Gordon Watson recently bought it—though no time to post!)—and savvy subscribers will also recognize the Gibb house from a previous post of mine.

“I have collections of so many things: Islamic tiles, old toys, carpet fragments, old fabrics… do you want me to go on? I also have collections of ferns, begonias, irises and daffodils. At the moment I’m most involved in my collection of Moroccan wildflowers, which may be the most important collection of its kind in the world.”

“The first time I came to Morocco I didn’t come with pleasure…I was used to Islamic places, the architecture and archaeology…but then maybe the light outdoors, I started studying and then being in love more and more… and the more I know the story, the more I love the country and its people. And I believe it’s an unbelievably rich and difficult country.”