Best plants to plant in not so good soil?

What consistency is the soil?

You can easily amend your soil! Buy some compost soil, manure, etc and dig up the garden while blending this in. Also add in some peat moss, to lighten up the soil and help the roots push through the dirt easier. I also add broken up eggshells and cut up banana peels (calcium, magnesium and potassium). Coffee grounds also are wonderful for the soil.

All of Marcie's suggestions are great. Also look in catalogs for the comments about the kind of soil the plant can tolerate. One of the best things you can do is look at the native plants for your area and concentrate on these. You are more likely to have plants that do well, reduce your risk of buying a plant that won't necessarily do well in your environment, and you also greatly help your area by not risking the introduction of a non-native plant that could become invasive in the wild.

I agree with Marcie, amending the soil is the best way to go. If you don't you may not be able to grow any plants very well due to the soil condition and lack of adequate nutrition.

I have had luck with prickly pear cactus in bad soil. They also thrive on neglect especially if your house or garden faces West and gets sun most of the day. They require very little water and they do flower before setting out fruit. You can eat the new paddles. The Mexican people in my area use them in salads and other Mexican foods.

I agree with Marcie, as that is what I did, and still do at my current home. I had "dirt" - nothing that even closely resembled soil that would support anything but random weeds. Work one bed or section at a time and it will be done before too long.

Compost and also if you take your soil to a local university most of them will analyze it and tell you what you need to add for free