Though many people gear up to work on their yards and gardens in the spring, fall is actually an ideal time for yard work. By the time autumn rolls around, summer heat waves are long past, rainfall is usually more plentiful, and new trees, bushes and flowers have a greater chance of surviving than they would if they were planted during a hotter season. Here are a few ideas for bringing your garden to life in the fall:

Compost the leaves. Rake the leaves into a corner of your yard and leave them there until next fall. During the year, the leaves will decompose into a crunchy mulch you can use to insulate flowerbeds or improve soil texture.

Fertilize organically. When preparing your soil for next year, add organic, slow-release fertilizers that will help enhance your soil over time. Most garden stores today carry a wide variety of organic fertilizers; many catalogue companies also sell organic products. See Earth Share's Web site at www.earthshare.org for more tips on gardening organically or check out your library for more information.

Plant trees. Choose species native to your area as well as those that are drought and pest resistant and can grow in the kind of soil and amount of sunlight available on your property.

Gauge your garden. Replace plants that demand too much water or attract too many bugs.