As long as there have been roofs overhead, there have been gardens above them. Since the Ziggurats and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, man has cultivated plants for his enjoyment and nourishment. Fast forward 4,000 years to our increasingly urban world, and our rooftop gardens have undergone a renaissance. They are mainstays of large cities and hugely important in the urban planning of cities. They offer many positive environmental impacts for cities, including lowering the thermal footprint of buildings and reducing rain runoff. They also provide a space for small-scale urban agriculture and food production. It is with these thoughts in mind that we sought to have biology students design a rooftop garden ecosystem prototype in our Rocky Mountain location.