Summary Stop fighting the soil: Granger clay suffocates generic plants, and New Buffalo sand starves them; you must plant species adapted to your specific drainage reality. Anchor your beds mechanically: Lightweight wood mulch floats away during heavy Michiana rainstorms; replacing it with decorative river rock over woven geotextile fabric permanently stops the washout. Plan for the snow plow: Piling salt-heavy snow on delicate perennials guarantees winterkill, so high