landscaping mulch

[Michaela521]

What is the best landscaping mulch to use for plants (trees and shrubs). Some people say to use 2-4 inches of organic mulch with a landscaping fabric underneath while others say to use a 2-4 inch layer of mulch without any landscaping fabric. The landcaping fabric that I am refering to is the kind that you buy with holes in it to provide air and water penetration into the soil. Most say that organic is preferable over inorganic mulch though. The benefit of inorganic is obviously just because you won't ever have to add more to it. Thanks