AMIR'S GARDENLocation: Griffith Park, Los Angeles, CA
Accessibility: Easy Hike Created: 1971 |
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Griffith Park is home to numerous oddities and wonders, including The Old LA Zoo, Picnic Table #29 and Griffith Observatory. While hikers and explorers flock to the more popular spots of this 4,310-acre urban park, several happen to overlook the man-made oasis - Amir’s Garden.
Born in 1932, Amir Dialameh was an Iranian immigrant who was a wine merchant with a fervent passion for hiking. A fan and frequent visitor of the Mineral Wells trail in Griffith Park, Amir would lend a hand in the upkeep of Dante’s view garden - a lush garden started by volunteer efforts. In 1970, a brush fire ravaged the hillside of Griffith Park. With most of the land and plant life scorched, the area was left disheveled and barren. Amir took matters into his own hands when he went to the city for approval to cultivate the land. He was granted access, but no tools or labor. Working alone, Amir dug out over 200 charred tree stumps with his own pick and shovel and built a retaining wall with discarded materials from the LA Zoo. Even working eight hours a day, six days a week, Amir still worked evenings selling wine. By the late 1970s, fellow hikers and volunteers saw the transformations of the land and started to lend a hand with upkeep.
Now spanning 5 acres of land with 9 different entrance paths, Amir’s Garden is home to a plethora of foliage, including ash trees, Mojave yucca, geranium, oleander, African daisies, sage, bird of paradise, ferns, spider plant, and many, many more. The garden is also adorned with bird baths, planters made from telephone poles and a large sign commemorating the garden’s namesake. Travelers who venture through the area often find it a nice break, not just from hiking, but from life’s daily struggles. Amir’s intention was to provide a relaxing spot from city life. He once stated, “There are so many problems., so many pressures. All people do is complain. They need to get away from that.”
Amir passed away in 2003. The hardworking and gentle man worked in the garden almost every day and was even said to have fed blue jays peanuts from his hand while tending to his work. Amir’s garden lives on with the efforts of volunteers, including a truly dedicated one, Kristen Sabo. Today, the garden remains a place for the weary and contains not only picturesque flowers and perfectly placed benches but the spirit of Amir as well.
Born in 1932, Amir Dialameh was an Iranian immigrant who was a wine merchant with a fervent passion for hiking. A fan and frequent visitor of the Mineral Wells trail in Griffith Park, Amir would lend a hand in the upkeep of Dante’s view garden - a lush garden started by volunteer efforts. In 1970, a brush fire ravaged the hillside of Griffith Park. With most of the land and plant life scorched, the area was left disheveled and barren. Amir took matters into his own hands when he went to the city for approval to cultivate the land. He was granted access, but no tools or labor. Working alone, Amir dug out over 200 charred tree stumps with his own pick and shovel and built a retaining wall with discarded materials from the LA Zoo. Even working eight hours a day, six days a week, Amir still worked evenings selling wine. By the late 1970s, fellow hikers and volunteers saw the transformations of the land and started to lend a hand with upkeep.
Now spanning 5 acres of land with 9 different entrance paths, Amir’s Garden is home to a plethora of foliage, including ash trees, Mojave yucca, geranium, oleander, African daisies, sage, bird of paradise, ferns, spider plant, and many, many more. The garden is also adorned with bird baths, planters made from telephone poles and a large sign commemorating the garden’s namesake. Travelers who venture through the area often find it a nice break, not just from hiking, but from life’s daily struggles. Amir’s intention was to provide a relaxing spot from city life. He once stated, “There are so many problems., so many pressures. All people do is complain. They need to get away from that.”
Amir passed away in 2003. The hardworking and gentle man worked in the garden almost every day and was even said to have fed blue jays peanuts from his hand while tending to his work. Amir’s garden lives on with the efforts of volunteers, including a truly dedicated one, Kristen Sabo. Today, the garden remains a place for the weary and contains not only picturesque flowers and perfectly placed benches but the spirit of Amir as well.