The fall is here (to use the American term) and autumn leaves evoke a powerful sense of time passing. A long time ago around this time of year I was on a plane that was heading into JFK and we were put in a holding pattern because Air Force One was landing there (I forget which President it contained). Our jumbo circled over New England for about half an hour and the landscape below looked like it was ablaze such were the colours of autumn.
 The autumn colours of Old England are nice too; kicking through soggy leaves in a park or village green is a great joy. Leaves are also an excellent soil improver. I leave them where they are on the beds but rake them off the lawn onto the beds or pile them into a chickenwire bin to make leafmould.
 Leaves are not particularly rich in nutrients but give an excellent boost of humus- that dark, rich, decayed organic matter. If left in the bin for a couple of years a finely textured potting compost is produced but I usually leave it for a year only; though not fully decayed it makes a good mulch to put round the ferns.