Indoor Hanging Garden

Several years ago, my husband and I vacationed in Zion and Bryce National Parks in beautiful Southern Utah. We love to travel in fall, and visited in late October when deciduous trees were either bare, or sporting red and gold leaves; and only a few fall flowers were in bloom. It is difficult to beat the golden fall light, the warm days and crisp nights, and the stars.

I was especially struck with the beautiful Weeping Rock in Zion National Park. I loved how the water seeped over the rock face and dripped off overhangs; and how moss, algae, and aquatic plants clung to rocks, and were bathed in the water. At the time, I thought what a great idea it would be to emulate this hanging garden in a home or public garden (see: Hanging Gardens).

Hanging garden at a restaurant in Bend, Oregon

Last summer I saw a hanging garden in a restaurant in Bend, Oregon, that could have been inspired by Weeping Rock. Smaller scale, of course, but it captured some of the elements of the Zion National Park. I love this idea of bringing a bit of nature in doors!

Innovative Irrigation

This vertical garden caught my eye at Persimmon Place, which is a new shopping center that opened in 2015. It is located close to the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station, and across the street from the Hacienda Crossings center.

Vertical garden at Persimmon Place in Dublin, CA

Several store fronts, including HomeGoods, sport substantial trellises on which containers are mounted. A drip irrigation system waters the plants, using Dublin’s gray water system. This is a really innovative idea, and quite attractive.

Containers are mounted on the trellis

I wonder how well the container plants will do in the hot, inland climate, and how much maintenance the drip irrigation system will require (speaking as one who periodically replaces emitters in my own drip system). The containers provide an attractive green cover, while vines start growing from below. I’ll check on progress periodically, and let you know how sustainable this hanging garden idea is.

Gray water is delivered to containers via drip irrigation

San Francisco Garden Show 2013

Gardens Make the World Go Round is the theme of this year’s San Francisco Garden Show, held in the San Mateo Convention Center. Today ends its five-day run, traditionally held over the spring weekend. My aunt and I always try to attend (sometimes with other family members in tow, if they are lucky enough to be in town)! Over the past couple of years, the show has integrated local food and chefs, green gardening concepts, and sustainable themes, which is perfect for the Bay Area.


Gardens Make the World Go Round - world's largest succulent globe

The Garden Displays are always interesting. The Assyrian Hanging Garden was fun, and took me back to the gardening history post on the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. It might be difficult to build a ziggurat in your backyard, but terraced gardens are plentiful with the steep hills in the Bay Area. The Seville style garden would also work well in our dry Mediterranean climate. I loved watching people approach the garden, as though they felt invited into its relaxed atmosphere.



Assyrian Hanging Garden - harkens back to the Hanging Garden of Babylon

Inviting outdoor room of this Seville Landscape

The Academy of Art garden was fun – futuristic and upside down. The world is changing quickly, so this type of unconventional thinking will be important for keeping things fresh, and solving problems on a global scale.

Another style of hanging gardens - suspended rocks on the left, inverted trees on the right

I still like a conventional approach as well. This thick garden hedge evokes childhood memories of looking for the perfect “fort” or “hideout” with my childhood friend, Theresa, and our siblings. But this boarder garden is appealing too – with its bright blue wall and dramatic plants.

Inviting tangle of flowers and vegetation - appeals to my inner kid

Intense blue wall, and an interesting palette of plants

These are some of my favorites, but there were many more beautiful gardens and garden ideas at the show. As you can tell, I look forward to this show all year.
 

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.