For the past 17 years, Chaz Perea has overseen the landscaping of Dodger Stadium, managing nearly 300 acres of grounds that include parking lots, hillsides, and hundreds of concrete planters surrounding the iconic ballpark in Los Angeles. As the stadium’s landscape manager, Perea leads a small crew responsible for maintaining all green spaces outside the playing field, a task that encompasses a complex and evolving environment dating back to the stadium’s opening in 1962.

Perea’s work extends beyond routine garden maintenance to the restoration and preservation of historic features. Among these is the Kasuga-style stone lantern, weighing nearly 4,000 pounds and originally gifted to then-owner Walter O’Malley by Japanese sports columnist Sotaro Suzuki and his wife at the stadium’s 1962 inauguration. The lantern was once part of a secluded garden inaccessible to most fans and had fallen into neglect before the Dodgers relocated it in 2024 to a prominent spot near the stadium’s top-deck gates, overlooking downtown Los Angeles. The careful move involved transporting the lantern on a flatbed truck over steep terrain, a process described by Perea as reminiscent of moving a precious artifact.

Operating from a workshop nicknamed “the Oasis,” located at the edge of a parking lot, Perea and his team reuse and repurpose materials extensively. Many succulents populating the grounds originate from cuttings cultivated by the crew, reflecting Perea’s commitment to sustainability and cost management. His approach emphasizes efficiency and creativity, treating his role more like that of a contractor accountable for expenses than a conventional salaried employee.

Perea’s background is notable for its breadth and transformation. Having dropped out of high school and taken up landscaping work in Arizona, he later returned to education, completing multiple advanced degrees including a Ph.D. Today, he serves as a professor of horticultural science and co-chair of agricultural science at Mt. San Antonio College, while continuing to lead landscaping efforts at Dodger Stadium.

Despite his limited interest in baseball itself, Perea has cultivated a unique draw by offering guided tours of the stadium’s botanical features. These 90-minute tours, priced at $52.25, highlight distinctive installations such as “Agave Island,” planted with nine palm trees symbolizing the number of players on the field, and the club-level garden where vegetables and herbs—including chilies and tomatoes—are grown year-round. This garden supports an annual salsa competition among club employees, fostering community engagement through food made from ingredients harvested on-site.

Over time, Perea has reshaped the stadium’s landscaping philosophy, moving away from traditional water-intensive flower beds toward drought-resistant succulents in response to California’s prolonged drought. After initial resistance, he gradually replaced thousands of annual flowers, significantly reducing water use and maintenance demands.

Perea describes Dodger Stadium’s grounds as an unfinished canvas in Los Angeles, constantly evolving under his stewardship. His work combines horticultural expertise, historical preservation, and sustainable practices, ensuring that the stadium’s exterior remains a distinctive and well-tended part of the fan experience.