This World Soil Day (December 5th), leading topsoil and growing media supplier, Boughton is calling on landscapers, specifiers and garden designers to take time to consider the benefits of natural soils.

Boughton – a firm advocate for single-source natural ‘as dug’ topsoil – is keen to use this significant day to highlight the impact using natural topsoil and sourcing products sustainably can have on both your landscaping projects and the environment.

Improving soil health

As World Soil Day focuses on soil health and awareness in order to maintain diverse ecosystems, Boughton wants to remind the industry about the significant benefits of using a natural soil.

Not only do these soils have good body and great moisture retention qualities – ideal for modern landscaping projects, given predictions of water shortages in the future – but Boughton soils also have a low pH, high organic content and boast both existing and developing organism biomass. The latter is a huge plus for planting schemes, considering the vital role microbial activity plays in the development and growth of flora within a soil.

In fact, some natural topsoils have been establishing themselves for thousands of years, allowing their nutrient balance time to level out and cycle on a natural rhythm. This means they can provide host plants with accessible nutrients quickly, once installed.

Providing soils to award-winning projects

There are a number of enormous advantages to using sustainably sourced natural soils, which is why Boughton has supplied its products to several high-profile construction and landscaping projects, including the redevelopment of Battersea Power Station, which was awarded the title of ‘Grand Award Winner’ at the recent BALI National Landscape Awards. The team behind the gardens, Willerby, also received the Principal Award win within the ‘Regeneration Scheme – Over £500k’ category for the second phase of the roof garden.

Within these gardens, Boughton’s IN1 substrate was selected to support the scheme due to its ability to support larger plants and to be installed at depths from 100 – 500cm, thanks to its sandy texture. Additionally, Boughton’s IN1 substrate offers significant moisture retention qualities, making it the perfect choice when so many plants are vying for attention within this three-hectare site. IN1 from Boughton continues to meet and exceed all G.R.O guidelines.

Elsewhere Boughton’s Lightweight Substrate was used to provide growing media where weight loading for the green roof needed to be lighter than traditional green roof schemes, whilst Rootzone completed the offering. Supplied as a ready-mixed solution, Rootzone provided better planting conditions throughout the scheme.

The right soil for your project

Boughton supplies a range of natural topsoils to suit a wide variety of applications and projects. All of its ‘as dug’ certified topsoil can be supplied with an independent soil analysis, having been tested by independent MCERTS laboratories. The supply chain for Boughton’s soils is also fully transparent, with complete traceability.

Find out more

To find out more about Boughton’s complete offering for the amenity, landscape and construction industries, please visit www.boughton.co.uk

Pull out box

Boughton launches new SuDs Soils

Boughton’s already extensive product portfolio is about to expand further with the introduction of three new SuDs soils, designed by the experts at The Environment Patnership.

BLRG Rain Garden Soil, BLHP High-Permeability Soil and BLMP Multi-Purpose SuDs Soil all draw their inspiration from Boughton’s market-leading green roof substrates; together offering even more soil solutions for a wide range of landscaping projects.

BLRG Rain Garden Soil is based on an extensive green roof substrate and is designed to support rain garden construction and planting via a free draining mixture with a large amount of porosity. A small amount of topsoil has been blended into the mixture to slow down infiltration, or saturated hydraulic conductivity, whilst also providing more body to the mixture to ensure water retention for a much longer period. In doing so, BLRG offers increased water storage performance, and improved water quality benefits. Boughton’s new BLRG is the perfect choice for those planting schemes that prefer a freer draining substance, but one that is sometimes saturated.

BLHP High-Permeability Soil is a high-permeability soil, designed to be used in shallow swales, such as those that border pavements and paths. Sand dominant with additional green waste compost and coir fibre inclusion, BLHP is ideal for creating stable conditions with strong water retention capabilities. Additionally, BLHP is suitable for supporting the use of drought tolerant grass species.

Finally, BLMP Multi-Purpose SuDs Soil is – as the name suggests – a multi-purpose blend of sand, PAS 100 green waste compost, crushed brick and coir, designed as a layer for swales and rain gardens, to support a range of intensive vegetation.

Jason Lock, Boughton’s Business Development Manager, said: “At Boughton we are on a mission to bring to market soil solutions for all gardens and landscape architecture projects. Our new range of SuDs continues to build on our expertise for all things ‘as-dug’ and natural, without compromising on performance and reliance, and open up new opportunities for landscaper, garden designers and specifiers who are looking for soils that will not just support planting schemes but will enable them to thrive more than ever.”

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