On Estate Grounds, the Fall Cleanup Can Wait

Gardeners tending the grounds of the season's larger properties have one more reason to put off the annual tidy-up. Perennial seedheads left standing through autumn and into winter serve as a food source for birds, and cutting them back too early removes it. The advice applies to the borders and back lawns of grand houses as much as any modest yard: leave the stems be, let the seedheads stand, and let the birds work through them on their own schedule.

With reporting from Veranda.