Jim Mumford

TEDx Youth Talk by Jim Mumford: Living architecture

| February 18, 2013 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Biophilic Design, Case Studies, Media Coverage
Sharing beautiful images and a compelling story about how his successful plantscaping business bloomed into a pioneering player in the burgeoning field of living architecture, Jim Mumford shows how uber-sleek depictions of futuristic cities are way off the mark. His talk to San Diego high school students on the theme of “Architects of the Future,” demonstrates how plants and metropolitan habitats on walls, roofs, patios at work and at home will bring nature into our lives even more in the future, not less. In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience.… Read More

A Valentine’s Day Perspective From The Other Side

| February 14, 2013 | Categories: Case Studies, Good Earth Plant Company, Indoor Plants
My first entry into working in a plant and flower world was a flower stand. I was 20 years old. I owned it. I operated it. I knew every square inch of that tiny, windy shack. And just as I would be sweeping away the pine needles and bits of Christmas ribbon, Valentine’s Day would creep up like a big red monster. I started the annual phone calls to growers for roses by the dozen, wholesalers for vases, tiny cards with envelopes, plastic picks, glittery hearts on a stick. You get the picture. Red Roses. Long-stemmed Red Roses. Red Roses with babies breath. … Read More

Urban Heat Island Effect Bigger Than We Thought

| February 5, 2013 | Categories: Environment, Good Earth Plant Company, Green Roofs, Living Walls, Sustainable Living
Remember when the terms “Global Warming” and “Climate Change” were first mentioned? Now it’s commonplace. I just read how a research meteorologist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography is suggesting that big cities in North America and Asia may generate enough heat to warm areas  as far north as Canada and Siberia as much as 1.8 degrees. In general, the heat gathered from the urban heat island effect rises and travels upwards and its energy may change high-altitude currents in the atmosphere that dictate prevailing weather. Meteorologists have known that cities are warmer than rural areas with cars, buildings, asphalt and roofs that absorb heat.… Read More

Green Wall Business

| November 19, 2012 | Categories: Good Earth Plant Company, Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Living Walls
We’ve seen a major shift in inquiries for green roofs projects to opportunities for living walls. Thankfully  we’ve been trialing and demonstrating living walls here at the office for the past four years. The lessons, tricks and idiosyncrasies we have learned are invaluable and have allowed us to not experiment at a client’s location. As such, I am not willing to install a new system that we have not sufficiently worked with to understand all of the possible challenges associated with that particular system.  I’m of the opinion that nearly anyone can install a beautiful green wall, only a select few of us can keep it looking that way for years.… Read More

Foodies Alert: Seasons 52 to Open in Westfield Century City, Examiner.com

| September 12, 2012 | Categories: Agriculture and Farming, Architecture and Design, Living Walls, Media Coverage
Attention foodies, Seasons 52 is opening its second SoCal fresh grill and wine bar on November 12, 2012, at Westfield Century City, 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard at the entrance of Westfield Century City just minutes from Beverly Hills, FOX Studios and Hollywood’s top talent agencies. The patio’s green, sustainable elements include three separate installations created by San Diego-based Jim Mumford and his team of “eco warriors” from GreenScaped Buildings. The Living Wall, which can be seen from Santa Monica Boulevard, is 112 feet of aesthetically pleasing biodiversity composed of 36 wall modules of dense, shade tolerant plants, ground covers, aromatic herbs, ferns and grasses.… Read More

GreenScaped Buildings Installs Living Wall at Fashion Valley – Mission Times Courier

| August 14, 2012 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Living Walls, Media Coverage
Shoppers enjoying their next trip to the popular Fashion Valley in San Diego will be greeted by a beautiful and unexpected sight, thanks to the installation of a cutting-edge “living wall” at the property this week. The first of its kind at a San Diego County retail property, living walls or green walls are structures that allow plant materials to grow on a building, but have the added benefit of allowing them to grow on vertical spaces indoors or outdoors. Both types of walls grow in “found space,” using far less space than typical gardens. Living walls can be planted with a wide variety of plants.… Read More

Fashion Valley’s Living Wall – Ranch and Coast Magazine

| August 1, 2012 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Living Walls, Media Coverage
Shoppers enjoying their next trip to the popular Fashion Valley will be greeted by a beautiful and unexpected sight, thanks to the installation of a cutting-edge “living wall” at the property. Living walls or green walls are structures that allow plant materials to grow on a building, but have the added benefit of allowing them to grow on vertical spaces indoors or outdoors. Both types of walls grow in “found space,” using far less space than typical gardens. Living walls can be planted with a wide variety of plants. The Fashion Valley wall was installed by Jim Mumford, GRP, CLP of GreenScaped Buildings of San Diego.… Read More

The Walls are Alive and Growing at the Mall

| July 30, 2012 | Categories: Biophilic Design, Living Walls
Good Earth Plants and Greenscaped Buildings Will Complete the Final Phases of the New Colorful, Living Wall at Fashion Valley Mall Next Week – By Jim Mumford, President and Green Guru, Good Earth Plants and Greenscaped Buildings Starting August 6, we will be building the new Green Wall at San Diego’s Fashion Valley Mall next to the new True Foods Restaurant and across the street from The Cheesecake Factory. I am thrilled to not only give the city of San Diego and the shoppers of Fashion Valley Mall something beautiful to look at, but also give all residents cleaner air to breath!… Read More

Selling Plantscaping to Upper Management

| July 23, 2012 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Case Studies, Gardening, Good Earth Plant Company, Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Indoor Plants, Plantscaping, Sustainable Living
6 Keys to Getting the Green-light to Green-Up Your Office As the Facilities or Operations Manager, your job is a delicate balance of keeping the company running smoothly and managing what seems like tighter and tighter budgets. Upper management expects you to ‘do more for less’ year after year and at some point, a priority needs to be made on the company workspace aesthetics and sustainability. After all, a well-heeled reception area and conference room can project an image of a company that prospects want to do business with and employees want to work for. Interior and exterior plantscaping is not just the “living art” that beautifies a space, it can also create a work environment that improves air quality, reduces absenteeism and increases both productivity and employee morale.… Read More

4 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Plantscaper

| July 16, 2012 | Categories: Biophilic Design, Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Indoor Plants, Plantscaping, Sustainable Living
What you don’t know can really cost you the green! No matter where you stand on the great outsource-insource debate, it is abundantly clear that most businesses in San Diego, don’t want to add interior plant design and plant maintenance to their list of in-house services—much less add it to the job description of an employee who may turn your greenery into compost! Some things are just better left to the professionals—especially those with a green thumb! But how do you know which professionals will give you the best green for your green? Good Earth Plants services many clients in San Diego and southern California who have shared their stories of plants gone wild, or more accurately, splash and dash companies masquerading as plantscaping companies.… Read More