I know that toiling in the soil can be rewarding. A few years ago, for example, I planted dozens of daffodils and hyacinth bulbs in my flower beds, scooping little holes and burying the homely balls. Six months later, and every spring since, they’ve come out singing in yellows, pinks and whites, thanking me for all my hard work.

Talk to landscape designers and gardeners, and they’ll tell you that fall is the best time of year for the garden. Days are cooler, the plants are mature and perennials are on sale. “The late summer, early fall for me is my favorite time in the garden,” said Jan Johnsen, a landscape designer and the author of “Gardentopia: Design Basics for Creating Beautiful Outdoor Spaces.” “Literally everything comes back to life.” (It wasn’t exactly dead before, but intense summer heat can sure make the foliage wither.)

But it can be hard to get started. Making the garden come alive this time of year is about breaking the work down into digestible bites.

Annuals and Perennials

Start with the fun stuff — the flowers and plants. Get creative with those ceramic pots on your stoop. Farmers markets and garden centers are full of fall blooming annuals. Pick up a few ornamental cabbages and kale. For a French country look, mix them in with herbs like rosemary, lavender and flowering oregano. Throw in an unexpected touch like eucalyptus to add aroma and texture. “There is a little bit more that you can do than just buying a big mum from Home Depot,” Ms. Rogue said. “You can be a little more daring.”

Fall is also a good time to plant perennials. This gives the roots a growing season before the ground freezes and a chance to reawaken in the cool spring before their first summer. Plant some fall bloomers like Japanese anemones or Japanese toad lily. “A terrible name, but it looks like an orchid,” Ms. Johnsen said of the toad lily, which does well in the shade, a perk for anyone in, say, a shady Brooklyn brownstone. Another pretty option: beauty berry. It grows about three to five feet tall and has clusters of glossy, iridescent berries that hang off the branches.