Even though we haven’t had a killing frost yet here in the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon, Mother Nature’s creatures have certainly gotten the word that winter is on its way. Mt. McLoughlin, marking our eastern horizon, wears a fresh cap of white, and just over the past few weeks the maples and liquid amber trees in my yard have gone from mostly green to vibrant reds, oranges and yellows. And a week or so ago, we got some welcome drenching rains to put a close on fire season.

I saw the writing on the wall (there hung the calendar) more than a few weeks ago and started my annual cleanup of the vegetable garden and flower beds. When frost threatened (though ultimately held off), I got out and harvested all the tomatoes that had even the slightest hint of yellow, stowing them in boxes in the garage to slowly ripen. Down came the sprawling vines, leaving large bare spaces where five-foot-tall lush tomato plants had towered. Out came the squash plants . . . not a huge loss, as their leaves had become dusted with powdery mildew, as they will as days grow shorter and cooler. Out, too, came the eggplants and assorted peppers (sweet and hot), but not before we gathered a final bounty that will contribute to my husband’s famous pepper jelly.

The raised beds aren’t completely bare, though. The arugula and lettuce seed I sowed in September has sprouted into rows of leafy green, offering fresh salad makings for a while longer yet. And the carrots planted in late summer will snuggle under a layer of leaves, providing us with crisp, sweet veggies in the coming months. And one bed, though seemingly bare now, harbors shallot and garlic cloves that will sprout and slowly grow throughout the winter, promising a generous harvest next June.

This past week we enjoyed some gorgeous, sunny days with highs that reached into the upper 60s, and I took advantage of them to get out and cut back the annual and perennial flowers that were done for the year. Shasta daisy stems, withered hosta leaves and such got chopped up and tossed in the compost bin, while my potted geraniums were moved close to the house on the patio to protect them from the cold nights. With luck and a milder winter, most will survive to bloom next year.

But even now, with days growing ever shorter, there are still valiant bloomers in the garden, providing sustenance to the bees and hummingbirds that buzz about them in the afternoon. I have two varieties of abutilon (also known as flowering maples) that are nectar-lovers magnets all summer long. Looking very tropical and exotic, they are hardy and old enough to survive our cold, wet winters and provide cheer not only to the birds and bees but also to the hearts of  all who see them on a gloomy day. In addition to these, the dahlias just keep on blooming; they will only conk out — and dramatically — when a hard frost finally arrives. More dainty-looking but no less persistent are the hardy fuchsias with their flouncy petals.   And while I struggle with my invasive Japanese anemones, I do love the way they show up late in the season to provide bright white blooms with cheery yellow centers on long, elegant stems just as everything else is fading away.

I know the next few weeks of garden chores will be dominated by gathering and disposing of lots of leaves, but I’m thankful I’ll still have some bright spots of color to cheer me on.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor