Good Earth Plant Company

Good Earth Plant Company is San Diego’s largest locally-owned provider of interior and exterior landscape design, plant installations and maintenance in non-traditional spaces. Our highly experienced and diverse staff has helped us achieve this leadership position.

Our horticultural experts apply everything we have learned over four decades in business about growing plants in containers to introducing plants and nature into our urban environment. We make use of non-traditional gardening space: green roofs, living walls, tower gardens, and more that we have yet to discover.

Good Earth Plant Company’s mix of clientele includes biotech, financial, hospitality, healthcare, retail, designers, specifiers, property management, technology, developers and homeowners. Our clients partner with us in everything we do.

Good Earth Plant Company is experienced in large-scale projects, technology, construction timelines, project management and creative design build. We take equal care in creating a beautiful interior wall or tabletop design for your office or home.

We use all of the resources available to create the most enriched environment for our clients. Our long list of awards speaks for our quality and innovation. But we take even more pride in the happiness of our clients with our work.

Good Earth Plant Company Turns 45 and We’re Thriving  

Who knew how big Good Earth Plant Company would grow 45 years ago?
At this time of year, most people focus on Halloween. At Good Earth Plant Company, we celebrate something surprising instead of frightening: our anniversary! November 1 is the day I founded Good Earth Plant Company, which first opened on November 1, 1977, as a flower bucket stand. It gets harder for me every year to believe the entire 45-year trip. Explaining it is a challenge too, but I’ll give it my best try. Over the few years, hitting this milestone was far from a sure thing. How many recessions have I weathered? Each decade and then the big one in 2009.… Read More

Our Mission To Enrich Peoples’ Lives With Plants

We're thrilled to partner with Paige Kries of Plant It Again. (L to R): Team member Laurie Boarders, Paige Kries, Jim Mumford, volunteer Margee Lawrence, and Kaylee Yoon. Photo: Paige Kries growing our mission
Time for some truth-telling on the blog this week. Our industry has a dirty little secret. Of all the environmentally responsible businesses in the world, you might think working with plants is especially earth-friendly. But in reality, there is waste associated with our business. Clients want their plants to look perfect. Living things are rarely perfect. We often swap out old plants that get too big for the space or aren’t doing well for some reason. Since we don’t want to spray anything inside your home or office, we always remove plants with disease or pest issues. We provide beautiful living art pieces that contain orchids and other flowering plants.… Read More

Thanksgiving 2021: Warm Greetings and Gratitude

Without any doubt, the best group of employees I've ever been fortunate to have as part of the Good Earth Plant Company team. Thanksgiving 2021
Thanksgiving 2021 has arrived, and I’m so glad for the break. I’m sure you are too. What a crazy year! Right after a crazy year. IS this now the new norm? Let your holiday season begin by telling the people in your life how thankful you are for their presence in your life. And I’m thankful I have a platform like this blog to say so publicly to everyone on the record. I’m thankful for: I’m starting with my work family. Honestly, I spend a lot more time with them than anyone else, other than myself. Our culture has evolved into an outstanding place to work – I still have fun every day.… Read More

Take A Virtual Tour of the Good Earth Plant Company’s New Biophilic Warehouse

Take a virtual tour of our brand new biophilic warehouse at Good Earth Plant Company.
After more than four decades, Good Earth Plant Company has a brand new 2,000 square foot working warehouse and workshop facility. It’s been on our wish list since we moved to our Kearny Mesa property in 1994. When I bought the property 18 years ago, there was a large, three-sided mechanic’s shed. It was torn down in 2007. Since that time, we used the old concrete floor as a large patio and created a “living lab” with examples of living walls. This is where the new warehouse sits.  We relocated our living walls and they continue to thrive. We’ll give you a tour in a future blog post.… Read More

Taking Nature On The Road Again – Trade Shows Are Back

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One more positive sign we are turning the corner from the coronavirus pandemic: Trade shows are back! In the past month, Good Earth Plant Company set up a display booth at several trade shows. First, we participated in the American Institute of Architects (AIA) San Diego event. Next, we set up at the International Facilities Manager Association (IFMA) and Building Owners and Manager Association (BOMA) joint San Diego Chapter trade show. Our Business Development expert Dan Summers joined me here. We also partnered with our clients and colleagues GMBi and BKM at the International Interior Design Association show. We didn’t have a booth ourselves, but we did attend and enjoyed the interaction. … Read More

Client Happiness and Health Always Wins Big

Good Earth Plant Company got a nice surprise this week: our living wall project at 655 W. Broadway has won a Silver Award in its category in the 2021 Biophilic Design Awards. We love seeing our client projects featured, and we love seeing everyone else’s work. Awards make us feel great, but what’s more important about them is providing an objective measurement of the quality of our projects. Are we doing the best possible work we can for our clients? Where do we rate against our (mostly friendly) competitors? What can we learn from THEIR award-winning projects? This project has a special place in our horticultural hearts.… Read More

Green Roofs Growing Strong!

My original green roof at Good Earth Plant Company in Kearny Mesa, still growing strong after 15 years.
It was 14 years ago this month when the first commercial green roof appeared on an occupied building in the City of San Diego. It was OUR main office at Good Earth Plant Company. You never forget your first! It’s hard to believe it’s been 14 years since we took this leap of faith, although it was made so much easier with all of the expert advice we followed and with the work of the partners who helped make it happen. So a few quick thank yous right at the start go to Ulf Waldman, Robert Thiele, Charlie Miller, Robin Rivet, and Paul Kephart.… Read More

New for You: Good Earth Plant Company’s First White Paper

Where would YOU rathr work? Our new white paper is optimistic about the future of the American office. Cover: Silverado Roundtable
Why was I crazy enough to tackle a white paper in the middle of a pandemic? When the coronavirus pandemic hit the world over a year ago, Good Earth Plant Company wondered how it would affect our clients and us. We found out the need for nature was greater than ever. After we got past the shock of the first few months and started looking toward the future, it seemed obvious the need for biophilic design and nature in our workplaces and gathering spaces would be greater than ever for our health and wellbeing. But no one was really talking about it.… Read More

Christmas Tree Trivia by Good Earth Plant Company

How much do you know about Christmas tree trivia? Find out in our blog post!
Whether you choose a real fresh cut tree or an artificial tree, the tradition of having a Christmas tree is a wonderful example of biophilia and biophilic design. Especially in places where people need to stay inside during the winter out of the cold, bringing plants inside feeds our biological connection to Nature. We’ve discussed the pros and cons of living vs. artificial trees before, and you’re welcome to review the reasons here. Whichever you are #TeamReal or #TeamFake this year EVERYONE is staying inside more due to the coronavirus pandemic. People eagerly put up their Christmas decorations and trees early and doubled down on their efforts.… Read More

Time For Thanks At Good Earth Plant Company – Thanksgiving 2020 Edition

Who knew when I took this photo back in January 2020 what the year would bring? But we made it - Happy Thanksgiving 2020! Photo: Jim Mumford
Thanksgiving 2020 has arrived, and I’m so glad for the break. I’m sure you are too. What a crazy year! And amazing as it seems, it felt like it went by faster than ever. Let the holiday season begin by telling the people in your life how thankful you are for their presence in your life. And I’m thankful I have a platform like this blog to say so in public! I’m thankful for: I’m starting with my work family. Honestly, I spend a lot more time with them than anyone else, other than myself. I’ll begin with established rock star Erin, our Office Manager.… Read More