The Hanging Garden was supposedly built by a King for his wife the Queen. King Nebuchadnezzar was trying to make his wife happy. She had moved to the dry area of Mesopotamia after they married and she missed all the plants and flowers from her previous home. The king wanted to cheer her up so he built an astonishing display of gardens and flowers for her. Some do not believe the Hanging Garden really existed. They think it is a myth or an untrue story.
People wrote about the Hanging Gardens but there isn't any other proof it existed. They claimed the outer walls were 56 miles long, 80 feet thick, and 320 feet high. Archaeologists aren't sure of the exact size, but agree it probably was not 56 miles long. No matter the size, it would have been an impressive sight in the hot and dry climate of Mesopotamia. There was only a short rainy season in Mesopotamia so all the irrigation (or watering) to keep it alive would have been done by people. Archaeologists also agree it wasn't really a "hanging" garden in the sense of being suspended from the air. Instead, they think this name came about from translating written stories about it. It is believed to have been "overhanging" like a balcony or deck with flowers and plants on each level hanging over the sides.
Many experts believe the gardens were built in the city-state of Babylon. However, other archaeologists think it was constructed 300 miles away in Ninevah (nin-uh-vah) , an area where the land is more rugged and has more mountains. This location would better explain how the gardens were watered compared to the flat location of Babylon.
Regardless of where it was located, it is considered an amazing accomplishment. Keeping all those plants, herbs, and flowers alive in a desert without modern equipment to water them is amazing. Many theories have been shared about how they managed to water this garden in the desert climate. Still, others claim the garden never existed and it is a myth or legend.