New London sits where the Thames River meets Long Island Sound, and that coastal position shapes how landscapes here perform. The city's sandy loam soils drain fast, leaving beds surprisingly dry between rains despite the area's generous 50 inches of annual rainfall. Exposed slopes near Fort Trumbull State Park and the waterfront properties benefit most from deep mulch applications that slow moisture loss before it escapes into the ground. Communities reaching inland toward Norwich and south toward Pawcatuck share these same drainage patterns and the same Zone 7a growing window, which rewards gardeners who get beds properly amended before the last frost clears around April 11. Bulk topsoil blended with compost corrects the lean native ground, and heavier stone materials hold their position against the coastal winds that scatter lighter organic mulches.