Autumn rain has a rhythm of its own — steady, thoughtful, almost meditative. I sometimes stand by the window, mug in hand, watching droplets bead on the kale leaves. It looks like the garden is exhaling after summer’s rush.

This is the season when most people pack away their tools, thinking the garden’s story is finished. But here’s the secret: autumn is not an ending. It’s an invitation.

The truth is, autumn doesn’t empty a garden. It changes the cast. While the summer stars step aside, the cool-season characters come forward. And many of them only get better as the nights turn crisp.