Once upon a time rock’n’roll was all sex, drugs and tour buses but come 2025, the coolest you can get is a soil obsession.
As DJs and musicians swap gardening tips and fashionistas rewild meadows, mud is having a moment, and it is well deserved, say experts who promise it is not as dull as it might seem.
At Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire, they have even sourced a rock’n’roll gardener to host their trendy new soil classes that are priced at £90.
August Bernstein, head of the Raymond Blanc Gardening School, has more than 130,000 followers on Instagram. She is most used to catering for the hungover festival crowd. “When I do the festival circuit, people are coming from the mosh pit the night before to seed-sowing classes with me and there’s a hundred of them at a time,” she says.
She is equally popular at the five-star hotel. Their new, half-day gardening classes are fully booked with the hippest guests. “Gardening has been very cool for a while but people now understand that they need to learn about soil to produce the best plants,” says Bernstein. “It’s the next stage — that desire to learn about how improving soil changes everything.”
Monica Vinader, a jewellery designer based in Norfolk, has been rewilding a 17-acre meadow next to the company’s headquarters since 2022 and believes that it is the next step for an industry which relies on the earth.
“Meaningful conversation about soil in the fashion and jewellery industry is still in its early stages but is emerging as part of the broader narrative around sustainability, alongside ethical supply chains,” Vinader said. “We are industries that rely on metals, gemstones and natural fibres that come from the earth, and the production processes alter the natural balance so soil regeneration has got to be part of the conversation.”
She claims the project has improved local air and water quality, biodiversity by 77 per cent and that the meadow is projected to capture more than 1,000 tonnes of carbon by 2027.
• Arizona Muse — the model-turned-activist working to save our soil
Meanwhile for gardeners, the DJ Jo Whiley’s 2023 “touch grass” campaign with Miracle-Gro was centred on the mental health benefits of caring for both plants and soil. “To be really grounded, outdoors, barefoot and away from the noise of the world and amongst the buzz of the bees of course makes total sense as being good for us,” Whiley said.
“I know a lot of musicians who are really into gardening now and I think it makes sense as being something that’s opposite from the hectic, loud life on tour. Will Young lodged at my house for a few weeks and we redid my vegetable garden. We send each other plants and gardening tips now. The new rock’n’roll? Maybe it is. I know enough musicians who are brilliant in the garden.”
Alex James of Blur was a natural, Wiley added, along with Sharleen Spiteri, the lead singer of Texas, Adam Clayton, U2’s bassist, and the DJs Trevor Nelson and Nick Grimshaw.
Paul Harvey, a soil physicist and president of the British Society of Soil Science, said: “Man — despite his artistic pretensions, his sophistication, and his many accomplishments — owes his existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains.”
Identify the soil in your garden and how to work it
By Jessica Brook
Sandy soil drains quickly
JESSICA BROOK
Sandy
This soil has a light gritty texture and is quick draining, however it is not very good at holding on to water or essential nutrients. It supports unique species such as desert plants as they have evolved to trap water at their roots. Adding organic matter such as compost or manure can improve sandy soil, although it needs regular care because the nutrients wash out easily.
Silty soil retains nutrients
JESSICA BROOK
Silty
Has a light and smooth texture, which is excellent for growing garden staples such as potatoes and carrots. This soil retains moisture and nutrients well, but its light texture can make it easily compacted. Pure silty soils are rarely found in gardens, and are usually in river valleys and lowlands. Soil compaction can make it difficult for plant growth but this can be improved by mechanical aeration or by adding organic matter.
Clay soil holds on to water well
JESSICA BROOK
Clay
Characterised by very fine particles, which make them very dense. Clay soil is sticky when wet and can crack when dry. It has a poor drainage system and is easily waterlogged, but can be good for drought-prone areas as it holds on to water very well. This water retention can be good for garden vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, cabbage and broccoli. Clay soil is typically found in the southeast of England but is present across the UK. Adding organic materials can help improve the structure and drainage, as can mechanical aeration which results in movement of air, water and nutrients.
Loamy soil is often used to grow grain crops
JESSICA BROOK
Loamy
This soil is a mixture of sand, silt and clay particles, which gives a crumbly and soft texture. It is great for growing several different plants as it is rich in nutrients and can drain and retain water. Grain crops such as wheat and barley are commonly grown in loamy soil. Similarly to sandy soil, loamy soil can be improved by addition of organic materials that will increase the its ability to hold onto nutrients and will improve its structure through aeration.
Chalky
With a gritty and stoney texture this soil can easily be identified by the lumps of white chalk and limestone. It is often shallow and because it is alkaline, it is great for growing plants such as lavender and rosemary. Chalky soil is found predominantly in the south and east of England. As it is fast-draining, is is not good at holding on to nutrients, so adding organic materials can help with fertility, and sulphur chips will help to reduce the alkalinity. Additionally, the application of mulches can help to conserve moisture.
Peaty soil is composed from thousands of years’ of decomposed organic matter and is no longer favoured by gardeners as peat bogs naturally store carbon
Peat
An organic soil, made of decomposed organic matter, including plants, and can take thousands of years to form. Peat is dark brown to almost black, with a spongy texture and distinctive earthy smell. Most of the UK’s peat is found in the Flow Country in northern Scotland, which is the largest blanket bog systems in Europe. Peatlands are acidic so are good for growing heather, blueberries and rhododendrons. Peatlands are best left undisturbed and are very important for carbon storage, water retention and biodiversity.
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