Blog

Two decades after Jim Mumford opened Good Earth Plant Company in 1977, something called “the internet” would change how business was done.

Mumford has always been eager to share his experience with plants and advocate for enriching peoples’ lives with plants and with nature. With the help of his first company website, Mumford began a blog. At first, there were only a handful of posts. Often they were about speaking engagements or media appearances. But by 2012, Mumford began regular weekly posts, and with just a few exceptions hasn’t missed a week since then.

Mumford’s advocacy for bringing nature closer and enriching peoples’ lives with plants is central to his business and personal success and his blog is one of his most important outreach and educational tools.

His weekly blog has been named the “Best Topic-Based Blog” by the San Diego Press Club for five years (2018 through 2022) in competition with full-time professional journalists.

 

What Nature Teaches Us About Gratitude

| November 25, 2024 | Categories: Biophilic Design, Blog, Good Earth Plant Company, Newsletters
As Thanksgiving approaches, we reflect on the people, opportunities, and experiences that fill our lives with gratitude. At Good Earth Plant Company, working with plants every day reminds us that nature has so much to teach us about thankfulness and balance. 1. The Gift of Patience Nature operates on its own timeline, and it teaches us to slow down and trust the process. A tiny seed doesn’t become a tree overnight; growth takes time, care, and consistency. Plants remind us that good things are worth the wait and that small, steady efforts often lead to the most rewarding outcomes. In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to overlook the value of patience.… Read More

Embracing Fauxliage: The Benefits of Artificial Plants

| October 2, 2024 | Categories: Biophilic Design, Blog, Good Earth Plant Company, Moss Walls, Plantscaping
Good Earth Plant Company has once again caught the spotlight, earning recognition in an article by The San Diego Union Tribune titled “Decorating with Fauxliage”. The article explores the low-maintenance, hassle-free benefits of artificial plants, highlighting our commitment to enriching lives through the beauty of greenery.  Our president and owner, Jim Mumford, first connected with the article’s author, Caren Golden, years ago when we were first creating edible living walls for restaurants across the nation. While designing and maintaining living walls remains a vital part of our business, we’ve increasingly embraced projects that utilize replica plants and preserved moss.  As technology evolves, so does the quality of replica plants.… Read More

Drought-Resistant Plants: Green Solutions for Busy Lives

| September 10, 2024 | Categories: Biophilic Design, Blog, Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Plantscaping
Woman watering houseplant at home, closeup By Pixel-Shot
In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining lush, thriving plants can be a challenge, especially when it comes to keeping up with watering schedules. If you’re looking for a way to add greenery to your space without the stress of frequent watering, drought-resistant plants are the perfect solution. These hardy plants not only look great but also thrive with minimal care, making them ideal for busy lifestyles.   Why Choose Drought-Resistant Plants?  Drought-resistant plants are designed to withstand dry conditions, which means they can survive and thrive with less water compared to other plants. These resilient plants are perfect for those who may not have a green thumb or for anyone who’s simply looking to reduce the time spent on care.… Read More

Overcome June Gloom: Refresh With Green

| June 3, 2024 | Categories: Blog, Good Earth Plant Company, Green Roofs, Indoor Plants, Living Walls, Moss Walls, Plantscaping, Uncategorized
May Gray in full effect, pictured at the Japanese Friendship Garden
It’s that time again. The time when sunny San Diego braces for its annual retreat from the sun. When dark clouds bank the coastal landscape, tans fade, and moods go sour. It’s the time of the year when June Gloom has arrived.   While it might feel dreary outside, it’s the perfect time to bring bright vibes inside. Yes, we’re talking about plants and flowers (do we talk about anything else?). At Good Earth Plants, we specialize in “plantscaping”, offering a range of services that not only enrich lives, but also elevate your mood and improve your overall wellbeing.  The Power of Plants Plants may as well be superheroes.… Read More

Sustainable Design Ideas for San Diego Stormwater

| January 5, 2023 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Biophilic Design, Blog, Environment, Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Sustainable Living, Water and Water Conservation
Green Roof Salesforce Park in San Francisco. Photo: Greenroofs.com
  Amid the megadrought, the worst drought to hit California in 1200+ years, we are now experiencing a Pacific storm with the terrifying name of a bomb cyclone. And while the atmospheric river it’s bringing with it sounds poetic, it’s anything but. This brutal storm is bringing heavy rains, damaging winds and subsequent flooding to parts of California. In San Diego County, we’re experiencing rains and winds that may lead to major flood events in some areas. Over the last decade, flooding has caused millions of dollars in property damage, even in times of average seasonal rainstorms. (source: San Diego Co Public Works) San Diego is a coastal desert.… Read More

Golf and Nature: A Winning Partnership

| May 25, 2021 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Blog, Nature and Wellbeing
We know San Diego's own Phil Mickelson gives Nature a thumbs up. Golf and Nature
San Diego enjoyed a red hot day for sports last Sunday. Between Fernando Tatis Jr. of the Padres smoking another grand slam out of the stands and golfer Phil Mickelson winning the US Open, it was a good day to be on the couch enjoying their accomplishments. You don’t have to be a big fan of professional golf to know and like Phil Mickelson, who’s from San Diego. He didn’t escape to Texas or Florida like most other golfers to evade California taxes. He and his family still call Rancho Santa Fe home. His win last week made history. He is the oldest person to win a major golf tournament at age 50.… Read More

It’s Natural to Love St. Patrick’s Day

| March 16, 2017 | Categories: Biophilia, Blog, Good Earth Plant Company, Nature and Wellbeing
You don’t have to be Irish (or part Irish like me) to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on Friday, March 17. We love any occasion focusing on things that are green! March 17 is the date of St. Patrick’s death. Yes, he was a real person. For many years St. Patrick’s Day was a serious religious holiday in Ireland, honoring the man who converted Ireland to Catholicism and who also reportedly “drove the snakes out of Ireland.” This is a historical headscratcher, because there are no snakes native to Ireland. Some historians now believe “snakes” refers to the ancient Pagans, especially the Druids who practiced the dominant spiritual belief in Ireland before the arrival of Christianity.… Read More

Catch Up With Top Reader Recommended Blog Posts

| March 9, 2016 | Categories: Blog, Green Roofs, Living Walls, Nature and Wellbeing, Newsletters, Sustainable Living, Water and Water Conservation
Catch up with our top blog posts so far for 2016 on topics including stormwater pollution, nature and well-being, and how to recognize and treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD). If you aren’t receiving our newsletter, sign up here on our home page. We don’t sell your information or spam you, and you can unsubscribe anytime. We don’t like spam either!  

Good Earth Plants’ Ten Most Popular Blog Topics

| February 18, 2016 | Categories: Blog, Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Indoor Plants, Living Walls, Plantscaping, Sustainable Living
Find out which of our nearly 200 Good Earth Plant Company blog posts made our Top Ten List.
When you are in business it’s vital to listen to feedback from your clients to learn what’s working, what’s not working, and where you can improve. Let me tell you, sometimes it can be painful! But it is necessary. When I first started as a florist in the Plantscaping industry nearly four decades ago, we didn’t have any posts, tweets, snaps or chats to help us gather feedback. We had to get it the old fashioned way – by actually talking to people. In person! I won’t claim I walked several miles uphill through the snow to do it. Today, there is no excuse for anyone in business not to make at least a minimum effort to gather feedback and use it to improve products and services.… Read More

It’s a Picnic Working at Good Earth Plants & GreenScaped Buildings

| September 11, 2014 | Categories: Blog, Good Earth Plant Company
The Frisbee golfers of Good Earth Plants & GreenScaped Buildings.
At Good Earth Plants and GreenScaped Buildings we know that you can’t have a great company without great employees. It is part of our value statement to have fun working together. At our annual company picnic this year, we took a little time off to enjoy each other’s company and celebrate what a great year it has been thanks to you, our customers. When we aren’t providing our clients with beautiful plants, living walls, and green roofs, we are all taking a break to refresh and regenerate, just as Nature intended. Morley Field in beautiful Balboa Park was the natural setting for our company picnic this year.… Read More