It's time to make improvements to the landscape

Fall is an ideal time to assess your landscape and make improvements. Arm yourself with a camera, notebook and a tape measure. Jot down your impressions, take photos and record facts as you go.

Start with the landscape as a whole. Are your borders deep enough or have plants begun to trespass on the lawn, sidewalk or patio? The solution might be to enlarge the garden, or it may be to divide or remove some plants from the space. Fall is a fine time to tackle garden expansion. Cooler temperatures make the task more pleasant and newly divided plants have plenty of time to settle in to their new homes before winter.

Notice the hardscape elements in your landscape. Are paths or patios large enough and in good condition or do they need repair or replacement? Paving contractors or landscapers often have more time in fall, and you can beat the spring rush by doing the project now. An added bonus: inevitable damage done to adjacent plants caused by work done now is less distressing as the growing season winds down.

Check out the views from inside the house, and assess the vistas from seating within the landscape. Is the scene pleasant with a focal point? A few new, well-placed plants may be all that is required to change views from drab to delightful. Fall is the perfect time to plant most shrubs and perennials. The soil temperatures remain warm long after the air temperatures have cooled, and plants are poised for a quick takeoff when spring returns.

Examine the lawn under shade trees. Are some areas of your lawn thinning because of increasing shade? Cool weather and autumn rains provide prime conditions for establishing new ground cover plantings. Or think about adding a new garden area under the tree canopy, replacing sparse grass with the lush textures of shade-loving plants.

Look through photos taken earlier or visualize your beds as the season progressed. Was the sequence of color satisfactory or did you experience a period when color waned? Try to pinpoint the gaps and record the characteristics plants should have to merit inclusion in your revised garden. For example, you might note you need a mid-sized plant with golden yellow flowers in July to plant between the red bee balm and blue balloon flower. Garden center staff can recommend plants that meet your requirements.

Note observations about plant habits and performance as well. Are there plants that would have benefited from timely staking or pinching back? Consider if you are willing to add those tasks to your garden chore list next year. If not, dig the needy plant out and head to your favorite local garden center for a low-maintenance replacement.

Bulbs are filling garden center shelves and it's hard to resist their colorful appeal. Planting bulbs on a crisp fall afternoon is a gesture of faith, a belief in gardens to come. These are the moments gardeners live for! They know they will be rewarded with a spring filled with bright color for their time invested in fall.

Instead of making plans to put gardens to bed, make small improvements now. You will be rewarded with an even more beautiful landscape next year.

• Diana Stoll is a horticulturist and the garden center manager at The Planter's Palette, 28W571 Roosevelt Road, Winfield. Call (630) 293-1040, ext. 2, or visit planterspalette.com.