What is unique about the gardens of Xochimilco in Mexico City?

What is unique about the gardens of Xochimilco in Mexico City?

• A. They float
• B. They are carved from the mountains
• C. They are built underground
• D. They are built on stilts over water

Answer: (A)

The main idea is the chinampa system—the gardens on the waters of Xochimilco. These are artificial, raised plots created by layering lake sediment and vegetation and securing them with reeds so they sit right on the surface of the shallow lake. Because the beds float on the water, crops grow on these “floating” gardens, a distinctive farming method associated with this area. This technique was developed by pre-Hispanic peoples, notably the Aztecs, to maximize fertile space in the lake environment and sustain large urban populations. The result is a landscape of canals and floating plots that’s unique to Xochimilco. These gardens aren’t carved from mountains, built underground, or supported on stilts above water, which is why they stand out as floating gardens rather than the other possibilities.

The main idea is the chinampa system—the gardens on the waters of Xochimilco. These are artificial, raised plots created by layering lake sediment and vegetation and securing them with reeds so they sit right on the surface of the shallow lake. Because the beds float on the water, crops grow on these “floating” gardens, a distinctive farming method associated with this area. This technique was developed by pre-Hispanic peoples, notably the Aztecs, to maximize fertile space in the lake environment and sustain large urban populations. The result is a landscape of canals and floating plots that’s unique to Xochimilco.

These gardens aren’t carved from mountains, built underground, or supported on stilts above water, which is why they stand out as floating gardens rather than the other possibilities.