Daylight Time is just a memory. The days are growing chilly and the nights chillier. Overnight, fall arrived. I’m holding my breath, waiting for the leaves to change. The tulip poplars have been dropping their brown leaves for a few weeks, as they always do, and the yard is littered with oak leaves, but most of our trees remain green.

Jim and I still have work to do in the garden before the winter cold sets in. We have made some changes to the beds in front of the house, but we have more tasks that may to wait until spring.

Winter is a good time to make plans for new beds and borders. Too often, I have bought plants on a whim, giving no thought to how they would fit into an existing garden scheme. I am more cautious now, although I confess that a lack of planning on my part has cost us money and hours of hard work too many times.

I have learned some valuable lessons from reckless mistakes, so I want to share several planning tips with you.

Don’t be seduced by the array of ...