plantscaping

Monkey Faced Orchids

| July 2, 2013 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Indoor Plants, Plantscaping
We had so many readers interested in the Monkey-Faced orchid picture we posted, I thought I would pass along some quick information about them and about orchids in general. Besides being just about the cutest, funniest flora we’ve found, Monkey-Faced Orchids, or Grinning Monkey orchids live in the south-eastern Ecuadorian and Peruvian cloud forests at around 1000-2000 meters. Their scientific name is Dracula Simia-Dracula referring to the strange characteristic of the two long sepals, reminiscent of a certain Transylvanian count. Up in the cloud forests, these orchids can flower at any time-it’s not season specific and its’ scent resembles a very ripe orange. … Read More

A Change Is In The Air

| June 25, 2013 | Categories: Awards & Achievements, Good Earth Plant Company, Green Roofs, Living Walls
New Good Earth Plant Company building
Most people will agree that change can be difficult. From little things like learning how a new phone works to moving or starting a new job, change never seems to come easily.  But as I get older, I am finding that while change is tough, it has an upside. Our headquarters are bursting at the seams and it is time to think creatively.  Time to make a change. Today we brought in an office trailer to our headquarters that will be an office for two of our staff. It is a much-needed addition to our space here, but darned if it wasn’t an easy process.… Read More

What do you think of our new look? GEP/GSB New Website!

| June 11, 2013 | Categories: Awards & Achievements, Blog, Good Earth Plant Company, Green Roofs, Living Walls, Sustainable Living
New Good Earth Plant Company and GreenScaped Buildings website
  What do you think of our new look? Good Earth Plant Company and GreenScaped Buildings launched a new combined version of our website this weekend. Since we designed our original websites for each company, we’re into a lot of new things and there is new technology letting us share it with you. The timing was just right. The new website also allows us to bring together our two branches in one place: Good Earth Plant Company and GreenScaped Buildings. The businesses will continue to focus on their specific areas of expertise, but our clients can find all the information they need about every aspect of what we do in one place.… Read More

Out of One Business, Into Another

| April 18, 2013 | Categories: Good Earth Plant Company, Indoor Plants, Plantscaping, Sustainable Living
Joan Rivers
It’s always strange to end one type of business, especially if you’ve been doing it for 25+ years. So here’s my official announcement that (with the exception of current and selected clients) we are going out of the Short Term Plant Rental business. I made this decision to open time and energy for expanding our GreenScaped Buildings branch to design and build more living walls and green roofs and to let our Good Earth Plants staff focus on new commercial and residential plantscaping accounts. NOT an easy decision! But a necessary one, kind of like when you buy a new suit, you kind of have to donate an old one to make room in your closet.… Read More

Speak Kindly to the Plants

| April 15, 2013 | Categories: Gardening, Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Indoor Plants, Nature and Wellbeing, Plantscaping, Sustainable Living
“Speak Kindly to the Plants… and the People!” It’s so easy to get busy with work and home and family and all the million little sticky notes, lists and pieces of paper that are flying around. Those reminders to do something, buy something, call someone, or submit something by a deadline. Life is one BIG deadline. The plant business has an added sense of urgency because we are working with a perishable item. Plants want to live, but they don’t like being ignored, left in a dark corner if they need sunlight or in hot sun when they want shade, not watered if they are thirsty, watered too much if they want to be dry.… Read More

Our Spring Newsletter

| April 3, 2013 | Categories: Good Earth Plant Company, Newsletters, Sustainable Living
March 19, 2013 In This Issue Upcoming Events Employee Spotlight Joke of the Month Quote of the Month Book a Lunch & Learn Upcoming Speaking Engagements Aquaponics at Good Earth Plants Open House Kevin’s Corner Featured Project Upcoming Events  Open House Plant Sale Reminder!!!  We have set the date for our Spring Open House and Plant Sale… This year it will be held on Friday April 19, 2013 from 11:30 am to 5:30 pm. We will have many new displays including a fully functioning display of our new Aquaponics System We will also be selling LOTS of beautiful plants from Ficus to Ferns!… Read More

Jim Mumford’s Thoughts on Union-Tribune News Coverage

| March 19, 2013 | Categories: Biophilic Design, Media Coverage
Last Monday, I was thrilled to see the article on the front page of the Business section of U-T San Diego about our living walls and green roofs, with a large photo of me (above the fold) standing in front of one of our own living walls. There’s nothing like seeing your own grinning mug in the paper before you’ve had coffee on a Monday morning.  A friend and colleague in Arizona had already posted it on Facebook! I am happy that both our company names are mentioned (Good Earth Plants and Greenscaped Buildings) and that in a section labeled “learn more” gave details about our open house and plant sale coming up April 19.… Read More

Want A Garden On Your Wall? U-T San Diego, March 10, 2013

| March 10, 2013 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Living Walls, Media Coverage
If you’re over the potted-plant look and have some tax money to spend on your home or business, one thing to consider is a wall garden or green roof. This special niche in the landscaping world remains relatively unknown but has in recent years attracted big-time clients like celeb chef Mario Batali, SDG&E and Fashion Valley Mall in Mission Valley, a major regional mall in Southern California. The firm that served those clients and many more is Good Earth Plants, which evolved from a downtown San Diego plant kiosk to a warehouse space in Kearny Mesa. It also birthed sister company Greenscaped Buildings.… 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