Topsoil for Garden Projects
Garden topsoil serves a different purpose than lawn topsoil. For garden beds, you're building a growing medium that supports vegetables, flowers, and shrubs -- which need deeper, richer soil than turf grass. New garden beds should have 8-12 inches of topsoil (deeper for root vegetables like carrots and parsnips), amended with compost before planting.
The quality of topsoil matters more for gardens than lawns. Look for screened topsoil that's dark in color (high organic content), loose in texture (not heavy clay), and free of visible debris. Ask your supplier about the source -- topsoil from former agricultural land is often higher quality than topsoil from construction sites.