Planting The Seeds For Green Roofs

"In a gritty industrial section of Kearny Mesa, 'plantscaper' Jim Mumford is putting down roots. On his roof. The result, which will come to life this morning, is an elevated oasis in a desert of concrete and metal."

"Experts in the expanding field of ecologically friendly designs don't expect hordes of Mumford's neighbors to join him any time soon. But the idea of vegetated roofs, already popular in Chicago, New York and elsewhere, is growing in Southern California."

" 'You are going to see it more and more,' said Pat Caughey of San Diego, president of the American Society of Landscape Architects. 'It isn't as technically difficult as it used to be.' "

"One local hang-up has been a lack of examples of how to make a vegetated roof look good and function properly. That could change with Mumford's installation."

" 'I think having a local project that takes the lead like this will definitely help with the naysayers,' said Stephen L. Kapp, San Diego chapter president of the U.S. Green Building Council."