Unless one lives in an undeveloped area, chances are that their home garden soil is not native; learning what makes a great soil; determining approximate amounts of clay, silt and sand; looking at nutrients and pH before purchasing any soil addition.

Native plants are always a better home-garden choice than non-natives; they thrive in the soils and ecosystems of the area; probing whether garden science supports those truths; how introduced species can enhance garden and landscape biodiversity.

Landscaping provides privacy, protects soils from erosion, moderate temperature and manages storm-water runoff; learning how to select the appropriate plants with respect to morphology, growth rates and physiology; achieving specific goals.