It's fall. Time to garden again.

The majority of us still think of spring as the best time to garden. No doubt about it spring is a great time to get back and enjoy the outside. Fall, however, is wonderful for gardening...

New plants love the cooler temperatures and they like not having to endure summer heat and drought before having time to get established. Plants will come back stronger the following year and begin the new year on their own natural rhythm.

Here's what you can do in the fall:

Choose. Garden centers are now full of plants, particularly shrubs and woody ornamentals. Plant a deciduous shrub like Fothegilla and watch it change colors in the fall to deep orange-red and then in spring it will bloom with dainty white flower on bare bark. I love it! Plant evergreen shrubs and perennials with interesting shapes to provide structure in the garden year-round and to fill in empty spots.

Prune. By this time you should prune back your spring and summer-blooming perennials. Let your fall perennials thrive in to the winter. Great winter interest plants are sedums, grasses and in some cases hydrangea. At my Christmas party last year, my grasses were spectacular as the snow outlined their form making them look showy just for the occasion.

Decorate. Bring out the pumpkins and mixed containers for the front stoop. Mix your containers with tall Purple Fountain grass with mums and cabbage planted along the edge. If regular carving pumpkins are not your thing, we'll have really cool gourds. Last year, our snake gourds were the most bizarre and the goose-neck gourds more traditional. Pumpkins arrive at the end of September, mums, pansies, cabbage and grasses are in now.

Mulch. Soil becomes richer after years of cultivation. Mulching will protect your plants in the winter, and makes the garden look "finished." Then as the mulch decomposes it will make your soil richer and less compact.

Happy gardening. Next time, fall-blooming perennials.