Less is More tends to work best in my garden to continually improve my soil - the lifeblood of nutrients for my plants.  No need to haul leaves away or do a hefty cleanout.  I simply:

• Trim perennials plants a bit if looking unsightly, but leave the trimmings where they fall.  "Chop and drop" as they say.

• Leave most plants "as is" over the winter for bugs to nest in.  I have a nicer looking "winter garden" and the beneficial insects show up the following year.

• I leave the leaves in my garden (and add more if beds are not covered with leaves) to protect plants from the harshness of winter - kind of like a cozy blanket.

• I'll also put the bag on my mower and collect the leaves on my grass to sprinkle around my garden.  It's easy and decomposes quickly.

I used to feel guilty about this whenever I see my neighbors toiling away.  But now it seems silly to me to have everything hauled away.  I've even been known to take my neighbor's leaf bags (with their permission, of course) and dump their leaves on my gardens.

​