For gardeners, fall has traditionally been a time to clear away the last of the summer growth, plant bulbs for the spring and tuck the garden in under a thick layer of mulch to wait out the winter.¹ It’s as much a part of the season as falling leaves, bonfires and golden sunsets.

Not everyone adheres to this way of thinking, however. Some gardeners are against the idea of tidying, seeing the garden as a space where wilderness and human creativity should be left to express themselves freely. Others make the argument that putting the garden to bed ignores its role in broader ecological cycles that surround it: Certain plants in the garden may be dormant, but there’s still crucial living going on.

However you look at it, there are certain tasks at this time of year that are essential to giving your plants the best chance come the spring. If you live somewhere that is susceptible to hard frost—where the weather drops below freezing or you get snow—then your tender and frost-intolerant plants, such as pelargoniums, will need to either be brought inside or sheltered with fleece or cloches (glass or plastic domes). This is also a good opportunity to trim back any unruly or damaged growth to encourage a more fulsome shape next year. In most cases, this will result in an abundance of cuttings; there are few better holiday gifts than a plant that you have grown yourself, bringing with it a promise of warmer days to come.

Hardy or frost-tolerant plants are able to survive the cold weather and it can be a good idea to wait until the spring to cut them back, leaving their bare skeletons to play with light and shadow and provide crucial winter habitats for hibernating insects. Autumn is, however, a good time to lift and divide perennials that have grown over the summer—be sure to replant them to bulk out your flower beds. In the garden, the new year starts now.