Soil is much more than the brown stuff in our gardens—it is a mysterious, dynamic medium that is fundamental to life on Earth. It is a complex, living system of organisms, minerals, and decaying organic matter that not only provides nutrition to plants and critical habitat for creatures, but also helps to filter, aerate and store essential water resources. An appreciation for soil can bring us into a deeper relationship with the environment, and an understanding of our place within the wider web of life. It can be seen as a metaphor for the interdependence of all things, from microbes and worms to trees and us.

See also: root system, compost heap, mycorrhizal system, mycelium