Florence sits in the heart of the Pee Dee region, where sandy loam soils drain quickly under summer heat and the terrain rolls nearly flat toward the river bottoms. That rapid drainage pulls moisture away from roots during dry stretches between rain events, making mulch an essential tool for most yards here. Properties along the city's older corridors and newer suburban edges alike often need compost-enriched topsoil to build organic matter before beds can truly perform. Communities from Darlington and Lake City to Hartsville face the same sandy Pee Dee soil reality and the same long growing season demands. Whether you are refreshing beds near the Florence National Cemetery district or establishing new plantings after the last spring frost clears around April 3, the right materials make a measurable difference in how your landscape holds up through a zone 8b summer.