Root of the matter

'What is the importance of soil when starting a garden from scratch?'

- BECKY SEARLE

Planning to start a new garden from the beginning? Or maybe you're thinking of working on a new area of an existing one? In either case, the secret to growing a beautiful and thriving garden is not in the seeds you sow, the layout you choose or the budget you have. Nor is it about how well you plan the journey through the garden or the interesting plants. None of that matters if you haven't got one thing right: soil.

The old advice to start with the soil still stands, but the specifics have changed hugely as our understanding of soil has developed over the last few decades. Scientists now know that soil is an incredible ecosystem that is full of life. Regardless of whether you have clay, sand, silt or loam, newbuild soil or an old cottage garden, the treatment advice is broadly the same: it is the organisms in the soil that create good soil structure. They increase drainage, improve aeration, help fight pests and feed nutrients to our plants. So, how can we improve the soil in our gardens to set ourselves up for success?