Described herein are example portable indoor hydroponic garden assemblies and associated methods of use. The portable indoor hydroponic garden assemblies can include features that facilitate hydroponic gardening in an indoor environment, including structural features that enhance the indoor environment itself, such as through sounds, smells, textures, sights, and so on. In an example, the portable indoor hydroponic garden system includes a tiered growing assembly housed fully within an enclosure. The tiered growing assembly can include a group of trays defining tiers that are recessed from one another, allowing water or other fluid to flow from tray to tray, creating waterfall features there between that can aerate the water and emit a pleasurable sound to the indoor environment. The enclosure can be climate controlled and thus adaptable to a variety of indoor conditions to grow desired plants, including embodiments using programmable heating and lighting systems.