Loam
Etymology
From Old English "lām" ("clay, mud, earth"), related to "lime" and to an ancient root meaning "to smear or stick." The same root runs through words for sticky earth across the Germanic languages.
noun · /LOHM/
A fertile soil made of a balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay, prized for growing things.
What it names
The ideal garden soil — a specific, crumbly, well-drained blend, not just "dirt."
Example
The vegetable beds thrived in the rich, dark loam.
Related idea
Loam is a balanced, fertile mix; silt is one of its ingredients — fine mineral particles between sand and clay in size.