READERS' PICK: Sure, it's good to touch the green, green grass of home, but we desert rats have learned to make do just fine with stony soil and spiky cacti. For us, TBG is a wondrous oasis, a home away from home, and a just plain cool place to hang out. Occupying five acres nestled behind a supermarket parking lot on a busy midtown intersection, the gardens ably illustrate the biological diversity of the Sonoran Desert. Staffed by knowledgeable plant geeks, TBG makes an ideal place to learn more about where we live and spend a few shady hours.