Hanging Gardens

One of my favorite locations in Zion National Park is the hanging garden. Water seeps out of the ground high above the valley floor and drips down the wet sandstone walls. Tiny water-loving plants cling to the rock face and are continually hydrated.

Hiking up to Weeping Rock.

Dr Stanley L. Welsh, in Wildflowers of Zion National Park, describes the rock formation of the handing garden as a "Windowblind type" with an arch of stone above a flat rock face. Water seeps out of the ground above, and drips down the rock. Plants include maiden fern, Zion shooting star, Cardinal monkey flower, yellow and red columbine, and Zion daisy. We visited the hanging garden in Zion Park in late afternoon, while it was still warm; and enjoyed the beautiful light, fall colors, and refreshing cool mist.

Tiny plants cling to the rock face.

It reminded me of water walls created in the landscape, where recycled water spills over a rock face in a continual sheet; and of the succulent garden walls that have been featured in garden shows lately. This inspired me to think about recreating a hanging garden – combining the two ideas on a small scale for the home garden, or on a grander scale for a public garden.

The continual drip of water hydrates the plants,
and provides a refreshing mist for hikers.