MUCEM Gardens in Marseille

Marseille boasts a wonderful new museum, the MUCEM, dedicated to Mediterranean cultures, a modern structure beautifully wrapped around an old citadel. No one celebrates the gardens--planned and planted by stars Olivier Fililppi and Véronique Mure (nurseryman and botanist, both authors).

Aromatic raised garden and winter potager

Called the Jardins des migrations, these are a series of spaces of all sizes, orientations, on many levels, tucked into and sometimes dominating the strong architecture, making the most of each microclimate and set of growing conditions to give visitors a rich experience of the history and biodiversity of this city, and this particular site. Themes include The Garden of Wind, Aromatics (at nose, eye and hand level), Garrigue gardens, Wild Salads of the Fort, The Governor's formal myrtle garden, a protected potager, a hemp garden (one of the city's great industries), medicinal, an olive grove, a garden of stone slabs (a Filippi speciality) examples of plant migrations, much more. All beautifully adapted to the site, user friendly, full of surprises and pleasures. Very much worth visiting.