Amir's Garden

In 1971, hiker Amir Dialameh singlehandedly nurtured a scorched hillside in Griffith Park into a shaded retreat. Four decades later, this five-acre, volunteer-run garden remains a favorite rest stop for hikers and equestrians alike. Getting here is the difficult part: It's about a half-mile walk uphill from the trailhead at Mineral Wells Road and Griffith Park Drive. But the payoff is sweet once you've found a seat on the hilltop picnic benches, among a patchwork of flower beds.