We bulldozed paradise and put up dirt lots :(

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Hard as it is to believe nowadays, beautiful Japanese owned flower gardens once stretched along Baseline Rd. in South Phoenix, primarily from 48th to 30th Street. They were a point of pride for the entire Valley of the Sun.

When my Step Dad moved to PHX in the 1950's, he told me one of the first things he would do with visitors is take them on a drive, in winter, convertible roof down through the Japanese flower gardens, then up South Mountain for a view of the Valley. Its no wonder so many people moved here!

Today most of the flower gardens are gone. Many dirt lots line Baseline Rd. The City should specifically encourage flower gardens along these dirt lots. The medians and planter strips (area between sidewalk and street) along Baseline should be heavily planted with flowers as well. Landscaping in front of homes and business should be encouraged (carrot, not stick) to be heavily planted with flowers as well.

Along the sidewalk, perhaps near Bus stops, there could be informational display boards about the history of the Japanese Flower Gardens, Japanese Internment, and the Japanese community in Phoenix.

For more info on the gardens, read here:

http://peoplesguidetomaricopa.blogspot.com/2011/04/south-mountain-flower-gardens.html