Sprouts of Eden blossom at Linda Vista Senior Apartments

On a sunny day in Boyle Heights, a local resident walks by Linda Vista Apartments and spots a familiar face in its garden. ‘Hey Don, how are ya?’ he calls out. The two chat briefly before saying goodbye, and the senior apartment resident, Don Baisa, gets back to the mutual give-and-take of nourishing and enjoying the greenery.

For the long-time resident, the garden is a space where sanctuary, serenity, and a sense of self all blossom and bloom. Growing up in Pasadena, Baisa grew up surrounded by gardens, which is why he’s always had a fondness for them and why he does his best to maintain this one.

“Growing up, there were a lot of people in my neighborhood who took pride in how their homes looked, and back then, my first jobs would entail me helping clean up people’s yards and gardens,” said the 73-year-old resident. “There’s a lot you can tell about a person through how they care for the environment around them. When I came out here, I knew that was something I could do for the Eastside here. I wanted to care.”

Baisa, a long-time Hollywood tour bus driver before retiring, moved into Linda Vista Senior Apartments in 2013 and instantly became drawn to the garden, quickly becoming known amongst other residents as its caretaker. He even chose his room based on its view overlooking the green space. 

Though somewhat barren when he first arrived, the garden has grown in purpose and aesthetics over the past decade. The space is open to all residents, and people manage different sections. 

Near the entrance, there are vegetables growing, which some residents use in cooking. A couple of Adirondack chairs overlook a few pine trees near the garden’s exit. Some garden parts are meticulously crafted and manicured to fit a particular look. The plants do as they please in another area, building their own character over the years. 

“How you choose to go about gardening, it’s a sort of reflection of your soul,” said Baisa. “All gardeners are as different as human beings are different. A garden is a mirror of a lot of things from the environment itself and the people who care for it to the plants growing there as well.”

Baisa says his gardening method is a bit in the middle, both intentional and empowering in how things grow. He helps to maintain most of the garden’s center, which is home to a pergola covered in lush, green leaves where he often sits and takes in the ambiance and atmosphere of the space, a sort of sanctuary away from the world’s problems. 

 “These plants have gotten to know me as much as I know them,” Baisa said. “I love to sit here and just sort of meditate. It’s a great spot because I can enjoy the environment, and since it’s pretty central, people walking by talk to me, and I talk to them. It’s a kind of peace you can only get when you’re in a space like this, in a garden or environment people really care for.”

For some of the garden’s more unique plants, Baisa likes to give them names that reflect their appearance rather than relying on scientific names i.e. naming a personal favorite starburst cactus. He often goes to areas like Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms, collecting everything from rocks and knick-knacks to small cuttings of plants to bring back home to add to the garden. 

Along the entrance lining the wall, Baisa has added a unique mix of plants, rocks, and decorative pieces he’s collected over the years. Fellow resident Carlos Montes says the garden represents Baisa’s brilliance in creating a space people can enjoy.

 “The garden provides a place of refuge from the noise of living in a city and the problems you face living here in Boyle Heights. We’re surrounded by freeways, and there’s lots of things always going on that stress you out,” said Montes. “Baisa has helped create a tranquil space. It always amazes me how much of an artist he is when it comes to the work he does here.”

Baisa’s love for gardening extends beyond the Linda Vista apartments. Just across the street is Hollenbeck Park, which Baisa describes as one of the most beautiful parks in the city.  He says it’s often not cared for, but he’s taken it upon himself to help preserve, restore, and beautify the Boyle Heights Beat Park. 

“Hollenbeck Park is a gem here on the Eastside, and people should take pride in that,” said Baisa. “There’s a yin and yang to it all; it’s a relationship that everyone has with the environment. I really hope more people come to respect the park.”

It usually doesn’t take long until his efforts face resistance in the form of people throwing trash out into the park’s many paths, people tagging up the area, and just a general lack of care for its beauty. He says even with the millions of taxpayer money going towards park renovations, it ultimately comes down to the community’s care if it genuinely shines like the diamond it is.

“Mother Nature is a gift to us all, and we all need to do our part, in whatever way we can, to care for her,” said Baisa. “The more love you put into nature, the more you get back. I encourage everyone to just take a moment to really just appreciate the nature around them and you’ll feel it speak to you. It’s a special feeling we shouldn’t take for granted.”