This garden in Boulder, Colorado, was started in October.

Landscape architect Martin Mosko of Marpa & Associates ( www.marpa.com or 303/442-5220) has discovered that when the weather stays mild, fall-planted gardens gain a "year's growth" over those planted in spring.

Here, a wall frames bright pink peonies, white-striped moss pink (Phlox subulata), cerise dianthus, and purple veronica. Blue-violet hardy geraniums bloom to the right of the steps.