Light sandy soils drain quickly after rain or watering, and are easy to cultivate and work. They warm up more quickly in spring than clay soils. On the downside, they dry out quickly and are low in plant nutrients, which are quickly washed out by rain. Sandy soils are often very acidic before organic matter is added, and become more alkaline after. Above all, they will have better moisture retention when you add organic materials.

To make the best of this soil type, follow the guidelines below:

Existing borders

• Mulch borders annually with a 5cm (2in) layer of organic matter to improve the moisture-retaining ability of the soil. Worms will draw down the organic matter and help create a 'crumb' structure
• Recycled green waste (such as from the council) applied year after year can make the soil very alkaline, so try to alternate with farmyard manures or composted bark for example

• Plan borders carefully, choosing drought-resistant plants which, once established, should need watering infrequently
• Prepare planting sites thoroughly, incorporating good quantities (1-2 buckets per square metre) of moisture-retentive, well-rotted organic matter, such as farm manure, garden compost, leafmould or composted tree bark as the first year or two of establishment are critical to long term survival
• Use a rotavator or spade to dig in the organic matter to a depth of 30cm (12in)
• When planting in spring, incorporate a slow-release fertilizer such as ‘Vitax Q4' or a controlled release material such as‘Osmocote’
• Follow with a 5-8cm (2-3ins) deep mulch of bark or similar material to help reduce water loss. Apply a surface dressing of fertiliser in spring around autumn-planted plants before mulching
• Water thoroughly and regularly during dry periods throughout the first growing season. With autumn planted evergreens and conifers, irrigation may be needed on occasion even during the winter months

The following trees, conifers, shrubs, climbers, herbaceous perennials and ground covering plants offer some reliable, proven suggestions for sandy soils.

Where a genus is listed without mention of a particular species or cultivar, all species will be suitable. Cultivars of the species and hybrids listed below are similarly suitable and some of particular merit are included in the lists below.

Trees

Deciduous
Acer campestre AGM, A. negundo, A. platanoides AGM, A. saccharinum AGM, A. tataricum
Albizia julibrissin f. rosea AGM
Alnus cordata AGM
Betula
Castanea sativa AGM
Catalpa
Celtis occidentalis
Cercidiphyllum japonicum AGM
Cercis siliquastrum AGM
Crataegus
Fraxinus ornus AGM
Ginkgo
Gleditsia triacanthos
Koelreuteria paniculata AGM
+ Laburnocytisus 'Adamii'
Laburnum anagyroides, L. × watereri ‘Vossii’ AGM
Liquidamber
Populus alba, P. tremula AGM
Prunus
Robinia
Sorbus
Tilia tomentosa

Evergreen
Eucalyptus
Ilex
Quercus ilex AGM

Conifers

Araucaria araucana
Cedrus deodara AGM
Chamaecyparis
× Cupressocyparis leylandii
Cupressus arizonica, C. macrocarpa (young plants tender in cold areas)
Juniperus
Pinus
Sequoiadendron giganteum AGM
Taxus baccata AGM, T. × media ‘Hicksii’ AGM

Shrubs

Deciduous
Abutilon
Amelanchier lamarckii AGM
Artemisia
Atriplex halimus
Ballota pseudodictamnus AGM
Berberis
Buddleja alternifolia AGM, B. davidii
Caragana arborescens
Caryopteris × clandonensis
Ceratostigma willmottianum AGM
Chaenomeles
Colutea arborescens
Cotinus coggygria AGM
Cotoneaster
Cytisus
Forsythia
Fuchsia (hardy kinds)
Gaultheria mucronata,
Genista
Hedysarum multijugum
Helianthemum
Hibiscus syriacus
Hippophae rhamnoides AGM
Hypericum
Indigofera
Kerria japonica
Lavatera
Lespedeza
Lonicera
Ononis
Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’ AGM
Philadelphus
Phlomis fruticosa AGM
Physocarpus opulifolius
Poncirus trifoliata
Potentilla
Punica granatum
Rhamnus frangula
Ribes
Rosa pimpinellifolia, R. rugosa
Salix caprea
Sambucus
Spartium junceum AGM
Spiraea
Stephanandra incisa
Symphoricarpos
Tamarix
Ulex europaeus
Viburnum
 
Evergreen
Abelia
Arbutus unedo AGM
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Berberis
Brachyglottis (Dunedin Group) ‘Sunshine’ AGM, B. monroi AGM
Calluna vulgaris (lime-hating)
Chamaerops humilis AGM (tender)
Choisya ternata AGM
Cistus
Convolvulus cneorum AGM
Cordyline
Cotoneaster (low growing species)
Elaeagnus
Escallonia
Euonymus
Erica (lime hating)
Fargesia nitida AGM
Griselinia littoralis AGM (tender)
Halimiocistus sahucii AGM, × H. wintonensis AGM
Halimium lasianthum AGM, H. ocymoides AGM
Hebe
Helianthemum
Ilex
Lavandula
Mahonia
Olearia
Osmanthus × burkwoodii AGM
Ozothamnus
Phlomis fruticosa AGM
Photinia
Pittosporum
Pseudosasa japonica AGM
Rhamnus alaternus
Rosmarinus
Ruta graveolens
Salvia officinalis
Sarcococca
Santolina
Skimmia
Viburnum
Vinca
Yucca

Climbers, and shrubs suitable for wall side situations

Evergreen
Acacia dealbata AGM 
Callistemon
Ceanothus
Cotoneaster lacteus AGM
Dendromecon rigida (lime-hating)
Eriobotrya japonica AGM (lime-hating)
Euonymus fortunei ‘Coloratus’, E. fortunei ‘Silver Queen’ AGM, E. fortunei ‘Variegatus’
Fremontodendron (lime-hating)
Garrya elliptica
Hedera colchica AGM, H. helix, H. hibernica AGM
Lonicera japonica
Phlomis fruticosa
Pyracantha
Trachelospermum

Deciduous
Argyrocytisus battandieri
Caragana arborescens
Chaenomeles speciosa , C. × superba
Cotoneaster horizontalis 
Eccremocarpus scaber (lime-hating)
Jasminum nudiflorum AGM, J. officinale AGM, J. × stephanense
Lagerstroemia indica  AGM
Lonicera periclymenum
Lycium barbarum , L. chinense
Passiflora caerulea AGM
Robinia hispida AGM
Romneya coulteri AGM
Wisteria

Herbaceous perennials

Acanthus
Achillea
Agapanthus
Agastache
Alcea
Alstroemeria
Amaryllis belladonna AGM
Amenanthele
Anaphalis
Anchusa
Anemone japonica
Anthemis
Armeria
Aurinia saxatilis AGM
Baptisia australis AGM
Borago
Campanula carpatica AGM, C. garganica AGM, C. portenschlagiana AGM, C. poscharskyana
Catananche caerulea
Centaurea
Centranthus
Coreopsis
Cortaderia
Crocosmia
Dianthus
Echinops
Erigeron
Eryngium
Euphorbia
Gaillardia
Gaura
Geranium
Glaucium
Gypsophila paniculata
Heliopsis
Hemerocallis
Heuchera
Hieracium
Hyssopus officinalis
Iberis
Iris (bearded group), Iris foetidissima AGM
Inula helenium
Kniphofia
Lathyrus latifolius AGM
Liatris spicata
Limonium
Linum
Liriope muscari AGM
Lupinus
Malva, e.g. Malva alcea
Marrubium vulgare
Miscanthus sinensis AGM
Nepeta
Oenothera
Onopordum acanthium
Origanum vulgare
Papaver
Phormium
Saponaria
Sedum
Solidago
Stachys
Symphytum
Tanacetum parthenium, T. vulgare
Thymus
Verbascum
Veronica prostrata AGM
Zauschneria