The location of the house is closely linked with the treatment of the garden, so it as highly suggested taking a preliminary survey before purchasing a plot.
The soil is an important issue to consider. You must consider the top soil as well as the sub soil when determining a place to create your garden setting. You will need to have a trench dug to determine this.
If the plot is very large, it may be a good idea to dig several trenches at different points, because soils can vary even in specific plots. Top soil is always closely related to sub soul, so even when examining the top soil it is not a determination of the sub soil.
A good way to determine the warmth of soil is to check in in winter when the snow has fallen. Where the snow disappears first is the warmest area, you can get more information on this particular point from someone who is familiar with the site.
It is best to avoid a stiff clay soil, as it does not create effective drainage. Sand, loam and lite gravel soils are preferable over clay. Where clay and sand are found in admixture, as in some of the clay loam types the condition would not preclude good gardening; indeed, the rose grower would find a soil of this description one of the best for his particular purpose.
The dryness of a site is dependent of the ability of rainwater to seep into the soil, as well as the distance from the surface of the subsoil water. Clay is impervious to water, which means if it is found near the surface, you will find either a water logged or baked surface.
A gravel soil of reasonable depth on a gentle slope is actually the best to use as it drains naturally. If topped with good loam, a light admixture of stone, it is an ideal for the gardener.
Coarse gravel subsoil can be used, as long as the surface soil has a sufficient depth to admit the proper tillage. However if the gravel is overlaid with the merest of loam, the land is not suitable for general gardening, unless the gardener is willing to import the proper materials for his beds, which can get expensive.
If the soils are over rocky formations, you must judge them by the depth and quality. If the soil on the surface is shallow, and the rock is impervious to water, you get the same results as clay.
Stones being present in the surface soil, is generally associated with gravelly subsoil, but also common to stony clays. These stones are not always a detriment, but may cause a hindrance for the gardener, causing him to hand pick them out or screen them to reduce the number. On a sloping ground the stones will occur at lower levels in a higher quantity, especially if the land was cultivated.