San Diego

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

Plants as therapy 3: Are plants the new Prozac?

| October 18, 2023 | Categories: Nature and Wellbeing
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
We know plants make our lives better – aesthetically, intellectually, and emotionally. But you don’t have to become a #plantdad or #plantfluencer to introduce some of the benefits into your life.  There are countless ways to bring more plants into your daily life, from noticing the flora around your own neighborhood to visiting local parks and trails. You can step it up a notch by taking plant-focused outings. (We’re based in Southern California, so we like the Encinitas Botanic Garden and Balboa Park. More on that ahead.)  You can also, of course, incorporate plants into your at-home décor (yes, pumpkins count).… Read More

The Plantscape Hall of Fame Inducts Jim Mumford

| March 9, 2023 | Categories: Awards & Achievements, Biophilic Design, Green Roofs
We may all endure a lifetime of work, but very few of us are recognized for a lifetime of achievement. The people that stand out prove that passion and persistence are the keys to success. When other people ask, “why?” they ask, “why not?” Jim Mumford is one of these people with passion and persistence – and a love of plants. In his own words, “If I hear “no” or “that can’t be done” it means I try harder. I don’t give up easily.”  In the span of 45 years, Jim has gone from plant & flower seller, to plant expert, to interior plantscaper to global biophilic design thought leader, mentor and educator.… Read More

Bringing Nature to The Brick Boutique Hotel in Oceanside

| September 14, 2022 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Biophilic Design, Case Studies, Indoor Plants, Plantscaping
The Coco Cabana lounge high above downtown Oceanside, California. Photo: Jim Mumford
Plants + Creativity Make For Stunning Hospitality Biophilic Design Oceanside, CA has evolved into a gorgeous destination for food, drinks and ocean views. Once known mostly for rowdy fun, with the addition of luxury boutique hotels and shopping, it’s stepping up its game. Good Earth Plant Co. was thrilled for the opportunity to partner with creative architectural design firm GTC Creative on biophilic design for one of these gorgeous new Oceanside boutique hotels – The Brick Hotel, including the Q&A Oyster Bay and rooftop bar and lounge Coco Cabana. Hospitality design incorporating plants, or biophilic design, has been a growing trend for the last 5 years.… Read More

Get High On World Green Roof Day 2022

| June 1, 2022 | Categories: Environment, Green Roofs, Sustainable Living
Join Good Earth Plant Company and celebrate World Green Roof Day on Monday, June 6, 2022.
When we first installed our green roof at Good Earth Plant Company fifteen years ago in 2007, all the information about the long-term impact came from Europe. There weren’t many green roofs in the United States, just a few in the northern United States and southern Canada. There were very few studies conducted on them, none in our Southern California region. Times change, and we are much more enlightened about the positive impact of green roofs on the immediate environment and their contribution overall. We love green roofs and everything they stand for at Good Earth Plant Company. We have now built several green roofs in the decade since then, from private homes in Del Mar, Encinitas, and Santa Monica, to the “Fallen Star” art installation at UCSD, to the spectacular green roof at Sharp Memorial Hospital in Kearny Mesa.… Read More

Bring the Heat: Indoor Plants That Like It Hot

| August 8, 2019 | Categories: Good Earth Plant Company Tips, Indoor Plants, Plantscaping
Small sansevierias in pots on a table.
Updated August 2024. We are fortunate living in San Diego where the weather remains close to perfect most of the time, but even sometimes the heat and the humidity can feel overwhelming. If it seems more humid lately, it’s not your imagination. Warmer ocean temperatures generate more humidity. If only they’d generate a little rain! When you feel the heat, so do your plants. Hot summers can be rough, even for your indoor plants. If you’re trying to conserve energy and save money (and you should!) by not blasting the air conditioning, plants can suffer. Plants not native to warm climates or already weak due to poor care, pests, or other issues, need extra attention.… Read More

Save San Diego’s Trees and Save Our Future

| May 10, 2018 | Categories: Environment, Nature and Wellbeing, Sustainable Living
Do your part! Take time to send a message to San Diego's elected officials and tell them not to cut the Urban Forestry budget.
If you know anything about me, you know I believe in the power of trees. One of the most powerful things you can do for the wellbeing of our planet is to plant a tree. Trees are nature’s conservation heroes. Studies show that trees clean the air by filtering pollutants and producing oxygen. Trees reduce soil erosion. Trees reduce energy costs by providing shade and cooling the air, which produces a natural way to offset the scorching heat coming from streets, concrete and buildings. We call this the “urban heat island effect.” California street trees alone save the amount of electricity it would take to air condition 530,000 households every year.… Read More

Green Roofs Could Save San Diego Enough Tax Money To Fix our Streets

| April 5, 2018 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Environment, Green Roofs, Nature and Wellbeing, Sustainable Living
We need urban and suburban parks to insure all San Diego residents are within walking distance of nature. Photo: Nathan Rupert/Creative Commons fix our streets
Sometimes I wonder why I read the news, because it can be depressing. I guess because it’s a relief none of my own problems ever make it into the San Diego Union-Tribune or on local TV. If they did, I’d know I’m having a REALLY bad day. A few recent stories in the news were a serious downer for this Eco-Warrior. In the first one, a report by the City of San Diego ran down our infrastructure funding gap. This is the money we don’t have to fix our streets, sidewalks, lights, traffic signals, and such. The one that got my attention was the $243 million we need to fund local parks.… Read More

Hey Denver, Call Good Earth Plant Company About Your Green Roofs

| March 8, 2018 | Categories: Architecture and Design, Environment, Green Roofs
Hey Denver, Good Earth Plant Company has over a decade of experience with green roofs. This photo was taken on the first anniversary of our roof in March 2008.
The smart voters of Denver, Colorado are the first voters to pass their own Green Roof Initiative. It passed with 54 percent of the vote. The new city ordinance requires any building with more than 25,000 square feet of gross floor area under the roof to include green spaces. Fantastic! But trust elected officials and civil servents to screw up even the best idea. Four months later there is a crazy amount of handwringing going on over how to make the new ordinance “work.” The Denver Department of Public Health and Environment has formed a review task fore including initiative supporters, water and power authorities, and “green roof experts.”… Read More

Amazon Goes Big With Biophilia: The Spheres Are Open

| February 1, 2018 | Categories: Biophilia, Biophilic Design, Case Studies, Environment, Nature and Wellbeing, Sustainable Living
Amazon sphere
Seven years, 600 people, 40,000 plants from 300 species, and one really big Ficus tree later, the Amazon Spheres opened this week in the Denny Triangle neighborhood of Seattle. Public officials made speeches, people got their thank yous, and ribbons were cut. Because it’s Amazon, founder and CEO Jeff Bezos did the final honors with the help of Alexa, by saying “Alexa, open The Spheres.” For an Eco-Warrior and biophilic design advocate like me, something like this gets me as geeked out excited as the most hardcore costume wearing fans at Comic-Con. We wrote about the project under construction in 2016.… Read More