There are a few key reasons to using mulch in your garden.

Mulch is great for water conservation - it prevents the top of the soil from drying out by keeping the soil underneath nice and moist. This will help you save money on your water bill, as your mulched garden will require about 60 percent less water.

A layer of mulch on your garden stops weeds from growing (and spreading), allowing your plants to thrive on all of the moisture and nutrients provided by the soil - without competition from weeds.

Mulch insulates the soil keeping the temperature constant for your garden, with the benefit of adding extra organic matter to the soil (increasing its nutrient value).

Mulch comes in a range of grades, with the coarser grade mulches excelling in allowing rainfall and water to drain through to the soil where it's needed most.

These coarser tree and bark based mulches last longer because they are slower to break down, which means you won't need to re-apply the mulch to your garden as frequently.

Other finer grade mulches have the disadvantage of absorbing more moisture and can form a seed bed for weeds to grow in.

Ranges Tree Works sell coarser grade tree and bark based mulches, which work great in gardens when applied at a level between 5 and 10 centimetres in conjunction with fertaliser above the soil.