I've got 3 large long planters in my garden which I filled with common or garden soil. One is planted with herbs, one is used for tomatoes or climbing plants in the summer and the third has a big Camelia and two large fuschias which have been there for about five years. I give all tubs an occasional feed when I remember but nothing else.

Thanks Cammonmile. I have no spare soil within my garden so will have to purchase this, however when I browse the internet for common garden soil I seem to end up with all the different types of top soil. As this is my first time in preparing a garden I don't have the knowledge to make a decision if there would be an advantage to buying an enriched top soil as the price seems to be similar what ever topsoil I use. Is common garden soil the same as topsoil?

Jimbob, please check your Private Messages.

Now now....nothing like that!

Always worth looking on Ebay - there's always lots of free topsoil on there and you may be lucky and find some locally.

Thanks for the replies everyone I'm piecing together the information.

I certainly will have allot on over the Christmas period Sarahm. I've got a little lighting project I'm working on within the raised flower beds. Hopefully I will have some photo's after Christmas if all goes to plan!

I have made the decision to fill 50% (bottom half) with unscreened topsoil which I will also mix in an amount of compost purchased from my local recycling centre. I will also keep an eye on the stone content and if there is insufficient I will add a small amount of large gravel. The top I will fill with multi-purpose topsoil which has the following description:

“We use loamy topsoil as a base which we sift down to between 10 and 15mm which leaves us with friable topsoil, rich in organic matter that retains a small amount of grit (all naturally occurring) to improve the drainage properties – no-one wants a water-logged lawn!
We then mix it with our exclusive Pro-Drain Organic Soil Improver™. This boosts the longevity of the topsoil, helps promote root growth and most importantly, provides a free-draining topsoil that most plants, turf, veggies, trees will love”

Both topsoil’s I will be purchasing from Dandys topsoil on-line which looks like a reputable supplier so hopefully they will supply quality which will have no weed content and the unscreened topsoil no chemical content.

Considering just over a week ago I had no idea I think the above has a mixture of the comments I received from several people and the personnel message from Steragram.

Thanks everyone!

Just watch the recycled compost. I found it had bits of plastic in it when I bought some. Also i have a green bin that goes to the recycling centre and I only put things in it which I wouldn't add to the compost bin, i.e. rose leaves with black spot and blighted potatoes/tomatoes so that's going to be in the soil too, unless its heat treated (which didn't work on the plastic)!