The tropical glen surrounding our kennel compound. Scroll down for
another view.
"Adric's" got the best view to the back door! Can you find
"Rose?"
The kennels and the property are surrounded by lush tropical beds skillfully mantained by master gardener Donald (see Donald's pic here). In the shot above, the kennel compound is located behind the plants and consists of several twenty-feet-long, heavy-duty, custom-made runs on a 1,200 sq. ft. irregularly-shaped concrete pad. As you can see, the dense planting beds obscure the runs from neighbors and busybodies as well as from dogs in the exercise yards. We've developed this property for our dog hobby over a period of more than 25 years. We've lived in the same place for over 30 years.
The shot above is viewed from one of two large exercise yards. Additionally, a separate smaller fenced paddock is located next to the runs and is used for "visiting" dogs, young dogs and females in heat. This paddock will also be the site for a new plant collection we recently started with the help of John and Sandi Soto--bamboo.
We also have a fenced "playpen" for young puppies (half concrete/half gravel) adjoining the back door patio and under a giant, shady Camphor tree. Puppies can be observed through a large window to our family room.
The covered runs are located under a 30 year-old stand of cherry laurel trees which form a dense canopy over the runs that is inpenetrable by all but the heaviest rains. The dense evergreen canopy reduces temperatures in the run complex by more than 10 degrees during the summer months. In the spring, the trees bloom profusely with small white flowers which form snow-like drifts as they fall. It's as close to seeing snow as our dogs ever get!
We also collect philodendrons and have over 15 species and numerous cultivars, many naturalized and growing rampantly on the many trees. We also collect members of the Arum, Pepperomia, and palm families.
To see more of our kennel facilities and some of our exotic tropical plant collection,
much of it naturalized around the kennels, go here.