There is something I love about autumn, a season that is compelling, golden and such a respite from the harsh glare of summer. It seems to arrive just in time, at that moment when we have just about had it with heat and can no longer keep up with the ever-producing vegetable garden. The sun sinks lower, the light slants a bit, backlighting discreetly, flattering the garden the way candlelight softens our human imperfections.

If autumn were a person, she might be the less-favored child, underappreciated, always one step behind her glamorous sister spring. And yet how much more mature fall is, with her inner glow and the wisdom gained from a successful journey through summer's heat.

A bit of planning (and planting) right now can extend your garden enjoyment well into our lovely Napa Valley fall. Local garden centers still have plenty of inventory, and sometimes bargains are to be had in late summer. Chrysanthemums may have the reputation of being "the" plant for the season, but a bit of research will produce many more options.

Ornamental grasses are particularly conducive to the sunlight patterns in fall. Grasses are dynamic plants, always moving and shifting. The sun seems to light them from within. Some of my favorites are Stipa (Mexican feather grass), Pennisetum rubrum (red fountain grass) and Carex comens 'Frosty Curls.' All are readily available locally and thrive in our climate.

Asters are wonderful late-season flowering plants .There are a multitude of cultivars, some low growing and mounding and others with long, tall stems that are great in arrangements. All produce daisy-like flowers in shades of white, pink, lavender or purple. Aster frikartii starts to bloom well ahead of most, usually by late June or early July in my garden. Other common asters include A. novae angliae, the New England aster, an American native that can grow as tall as five feet; and A. novi-belgii, the New York aster (or Michaelmas daisy), which is offered in numerous sizes and colors.

Asters look great paired with Rudbeckia hirta (gloriosa daisy), a plant that has benefited from the attentions of plant breeders over the last decade, resulting in many wonderful new named varieties. Rudbeckias are tough and easy to grow, although snails find them attractive.

Many summer-flowering plants will continue to bloom heavily until our first frost. Dahlias, zinnias, cosmos, coreopsis and gaillardias can all thrive in the heat of late summer and mix well with grasses and asters.

Roses may not often be thought of as fall flowers, but in our mild climate, a somewhat heavy summer pruning will generate a nice flush of bloom before the roses take a rest for the winter. This process will also remove some of the tired-looking summer foliage that can make rosebushes look gawky and spent.

Before long, cool-season vegetables and annuals will start to appear at garden centers. When planning your fall garden, be sure to leave room for some of the plants that will carry you through winter and into spring. Designate areas of your garden for rotation. When the summer flowers wane, be ready with fresh new starts.

Fall is also a perfect time for garden renovation and for planting trees, shrubs and new lawns. The soil is still warm, and new plants will have time to settle in, enjoy the winter rains, and prepare for a growth spurt in spring. I've already started to draw plans for areas that I would like to rearrange. But before I start to dig, I hope to enjoy many more weeks of color and fragrance.