Peter Dowdall: Organic matter is essential for heavy clay or sandy Irish soils

Both perennials and annuals have a genuine place in the garden but you must get the soil right

The single-flowered Echinacea purpurea, Agastache, and Nepeta are not just beautiful but also beneficial to pollinators.  Picture: iStock

There is a gardening argument that has rumbled on for years, pitched as perennials versus annuals, as though you have to choose a side and defend it. 

You do not, as both have a genuine place in the garden, and understanding where each one earns its keep will give you a more colourful and beneficial garden across a longer season.