Landscaping Update

By Howard Lazar, "Watering Associate"

Whether you come to Field of Dogs regularly or have returned from being away for awhile, you are bound to see a noticeable improvement in the landscape.

For one thing, not as much dust as before is kicked up by the dogs. This is because ground cover - former weed cover - has greened up and is inching its way across the Field, thanks to daily watering by Izumi Motai and other supporters.

There's a bit more shade, too. Fruit trees, oaks, and redwoods planted years ago have gotten taller and fuller. This year's recent arrivals, planted by Lisa and Mark Adams, are a Ficus benjamina, a Japanese maple, and a cypress.

The small dog park is a deep, lush green. The Field's gardener and irrigation specialist, Patricia Lazar, re-built and upgraded the small park's irrigation system: its pop-up sprinklers now go on automatically every night.

Patricia also planted Abelia bushes and rosemary at the entrance fence, and they will eventually grow through and cover the chain-link fence. Between the benches west of the canopy, she planted a row of cabbage-like, winterblooming Bergenia crassifolia.

And, with authorization of the Field's Board of Directors, she planted 18 flats of Phyla nodiflora lippia repens - a rugged and flowering ground cover that will grow over rocks and is drought-resistant. (This should mitigate the frequency of torn paws due to the ever-present pebbles and rocks.) The flats were planted north to south, parallel to the general running direction of the Field's canine patrons. As soon as the flats were planted (October 15th), the rains came the next day.

With the increased nourishment of the landscape has come the increased appetite of gophers. Fortunately, the Field's monthly volunteer work parties (second Saturday @ 10 a.m.), headed by Roland Drilsma and Jennifer La Garde, have made the filling of gopher holes a top priority: the large mound of fill soil which you see behind the redwood grove was donated - along with shovels and wheelbarrows - for that purpose. Anyone on any day visiting the Field is welcome to fill in a hole. Be our guest!

These improvements, and others yet to come, are made possible by the friends, and supporters of Field of Dogs. The park in all its natural beauty and enjoyment exists entirely due to donations. It is the only dog park in Marin County which is not county- or municipally-funded. The members of the Board of Directors express our thanks to all of you who continue to contribute money and time in making the Field a splendid and necessary daily outing for our companions.