Cutting back is more personal preference, I think. It seems like about half the people do it in the fall and half in spring. I'm a (mostly) spring person myself, I like the stems to catch leaves to help mulch naturally, and everything takes up so much less space in the compost bin when it's wintered over in situ.

I don't mulch S. irises, nor anything else, but if you have more marginal plants you might wish to. My garden has wood chips to cover the ground but not as deep as most mulching advocates suggest (2-4 inches). I'm not sure if it provides much protection, but I've been lucky with minimal winter losses.

Maybe while your family is waiting for a trailer you could put those grandkids to work in yard/garden--lol!

Ample winter soil moisture is important for evergreens, but not so much for things that dieback or drop their leaves. Personally,I do not water into the fall unless the soil is really dry. If there are no leaves to use up the water, why would it be so important? Unless, as I said, the soil is really dry, there will always be enough moisture for roots to continue to grow/function. I am convinced that for certain perennials (like epimediums), a dry winter is better than a wet one.

Rick

Thanks so much, I guess most of the leaves will be mulched and put in the compost pile.

Rick has some clay in his soil which holds moisture- I do not. I have more sand than dirt it seems sometimes- I have to water the dry spots- and the newbies till things look like they have "shut down" for the season.
All season long- I don't water very often- but I do it deep- and without it I would lose some real nice plants under the pines near a HUGE maple and many lilacs.
It always seems to me like the new fall plantings need a little extra moisture too...
I guess what I am trying to advise- is to learn and understand what the variables in your garden, and your plant choices require you to do- it is a learning process that seems to never end- (yeah!) although- I must admit to fewer casualities the more I understand what the different areas in my garden have to offer- and the less I try to make it do want it cant- like I don't water often enough to grow any moisture loving plants- The only Ligularia I have ever been able to grow- is planted right under a leaky hose.....
As far as clean up goes- there are several I leave till spring (if then even- why haul it all the way to the compost bin and right back again after a little while...) and some I have learned to remove in fall. Generally I remove any plants that re-seed too much- and those like peonies which if left- can cause disease, and the really early risers like phlox and peonies and such where I might damage the new growth by waiting till it is warm and dry enough in the spring to muck about in the beds.
Oh- one thing I must do every winter is to protect several younger shrubs and trees from the bunnies with wire cages- otherwise the bunnies will chomp off all they can reach just to eat the tasty bark- and I fence off the tulip areas too.
Julie

Bunnies have already nibbled at one of my shrubs - Styrax americana.

Yeah I'm starting to put out the wire cages as well, seems like the bunny population has boomed this year.

Thanks all for the advise. I am lucky in one way that we don't have a bunny problem, now that I think about it I have never even seen even one rabbit in the five years we have lived here. I guess that might have a lot to do with all of the neighborhood cats. (I have 3 that never see the outdoors without a leash and me with them) I do have a huge problem with the squirrels though, digging holes everywhere and have had to chickenwire over all my bulbs. They dig them up whether they eat them or not!!

I finally have 3 nice plants of white sage, would like to keep them happy this winter. I kept them in pots to bring but not sure what will keep them happy since they are desert plants. Any suggestions or tips would be appreciated TIA