Comprises mainly decomposed leaves, wood or peat. If your garden is situated on a site formerly occupied by forest, or on reclaimed marshland, or has large stands of trees or shrubs, you probably have excellent, humus-rich soil.
| Characteristics | Indicator plants | Soil improvement |
| ? loose structure ? the ability to store moisture ? usually, a low pH factor |
Bracken (Pteridium aquffinum) sheep's sorrel (Rumex acetosella) wild violets or pansies (Viola) heather (Erica) |
usually not necessary, but check to make sure that the pH factor is not too low. |