Good Earth Plant Company

An Attitude of Gratitude: Happy Thanksgiving from Good Earth Plants

| November 25, 2013 | Categories: Awards & Achievements, Good Earth Plant Company, Indoor Plants
While the world is wrapped up in turkey, football games and pumpkin pie, the Good Earth Plants team is knee-deep in holiday décor. The warehouse is bright and shiny with trees, wreaths and garlands being readied for installation at our clients’ offices and homes. Holiday cards are being signed and addressed for mailing. Before we immerse ourselves in glitter and snowflakes, I wanted to jot down some thoughts about the people that make me so grateful this season. When I was just starting Good Earth Plants, some special people took time to help me. Mark Sandstrom, who recently passed away, gave me a big break into the flower business.… Read More

Good Earth Leaflet Newsletter: Fall 2013 Issue

| November 20, 2013 | Categories: Newsletters, Plantscaping
Click here to read our Fall 2013 edition of the Good Earth Leaflet newsletter. In this issue: Letter from the President Upcoming Events Employee Spotlight: Dawn Weatherford Lunch & Learn Program (Continuing Education Units) Featured Project: Pure Fitness Not on our newsletter email list? Want to sign up? Visit the home page of our website and scroll to the end of the page to provide us your email address.  

Boston Strong and Green at American Society of Landscape Architects meeting

| November 15, 2013 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Environment, Good Earth Plant Company, Green Roofs, Living Walls
Jim Mumford at ASLA meeting
I am in Boston representing Good Earth Plant Company and GreenScaped Buildings at one of my favorite events, the annual American Society of Landscape Architects Conference. Such a great group of people: friends, colleagues and some of the smartest landscape professionals you will ever meet. Friday I presented a talk on “Obstacles and Pitfalls to Successful Living Wall Maintenance,” and while it sounds like a mouthful, it brings up important issues. To design, install and maintain a living wall isn’t inexpensive. No one wants to get a living wall up and ready to grow only to see it wither under a poor maintenance program.… Read More

Bioinspiration: Letting Nature Inspire Your Work

| November 12, 2013 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Biophilic Design, Good Earth Plant Company, Indoor Plants, Sustainable Living
This week wasn’t about the usual business of green roofs and living walls. I jumped outside the box, exited my silo and spent time at events that remind me of what else is out there. I attended a Downtown San Diego Partnership workshop featuring Fred Kent of Project for Public Spaces. I first heard Fred speak at the Greening the City symposium in March 2006 at Liberty Station. It was there that I was exposed to the idea of green roofs. My passion was ignited. I went on to take a course in New York and studied Fred’s concepts about energizing, engaging and programming public places to build communities.… Read More

Plants in Space: Growing Without Gravity

| November 7, 2013 | Categories: Biophilic Design, Good Earth Plant Company, Indoor Plants, Nature and Wellbeing
There is a great new movie out called “Gravity” which tells the frightening tale of a scientist and an astronaut (played by Sandra Bullock and George Clooney) aboard the International Space Station when something goes terribly wrong. A great story….but they forgot to include a garden on the International Space Station! In an ABC news article (Sept 2013) NASA will reportedly be sending lettuce plants into space. In a project dubbed “Veggie,” a form of red lettuce will be grown, frozen then sent back to earth. NASA project scientists will be checking to see what types of micro-organisms are on the leaves to see if the lettuce will be safe to eat in orbit.… Read More

Bringing the Outdoors In

| October 10, 2013 | Categories: Biophilic Design, Good Earth Plant Company, Indoor Plants, Plantscaping
After a long week of reviewing designs for living walls and finalizing contracts for green roofs, I often toss some work in my leather bag and head home to finish up in my “sanctuary,” AKA my living room. With a panoramic view of a lush canyon complete with mature trees, California scrub and a pseudo meadow,  my second story living room is at treetop level. The view is spectacular: gracefully aging eucalyptus and ash trees surrounded by palms and an old and twisted Hollywood juniper. It is in my big chair, in my living room that I am able to take a deep breath and exhale the day.… Read More

Just a Crack in the Sidewalk

| October 1, 2013 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Good Earth Plant Company, Green Roofs, Indoor Plants, Living Walls, Sustainable Living
When I get busy, it’s easy for me to become focused on the minute particles that make up my life. The garden needs watering. The car needs to go in for service. I’ve got to mail that insurance payment. Most importantly, I must fix my darned office chair so that it swivels properly! You laugh, but I will bet you have a similar list somewhere. An endless stream of small details that need to be completed before the end of the week. Like little flies buzzing around your mind that demands your attention in order to find some quiet. All the while, Nature just rolls along.… Read More

The Fall Frenzy

| September 17, 2013 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Biophilic Design, Green Roofs, Living Walls
Living Wall Installation
What a summer! It feels like I turned around from the Memorial Day weekend only to stare right into the Labor Day holiday. It’s been a busy few months to say the least. And while it might not be easy to remember much time spent by the ocean or with the kids, this past summer will be remembered as “the summer of installations!” Great news for us in that we kept the staff busy and working hard to make the living architecture concepts and ideas we described to customers last spring – come to life. Our expert team of Kerry Bauer, Kevin Norton and Nilo Cabrera really made it happen these past few weeks.… Read More

A Perfect Piece of Green PIE from PIA

| September 10, 2013 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Awards & Achievements
I always look forward to the Plant Industry Alliance (PIA) annual Expo in Las Vegas in August. This year’s Plantscape Industry Expo (PIE) was AMAZING! Innovative products, fascinating speakers and incredible living art displays. It seemed everywhere you look, creative, inspired people were talking about new products and the latest in technology and design. This year, we had a great team attend from Good Earth Plants and GreenScaped Buildings. Debbie Hopkins, Dawn Weatherford, Kerry Bauer and I got the chance to meet up with some colleagues and exchange some ideas while learning about the latest in plants. We even got to see a new plant, a type of Mandeville, that has a large hanging pink flower that will be perfect on one of our living walls.… Read More