Fall, not spring, is the time in this region to clear away dead leaves and branches, to renovate the borders, to start new gardens.... And even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn.

Lawrence contrasts the conventional gardening calendar—spring as the season of beginnings—with the practical and aesthetic realities of the American South, where autumn is often the best time for renewal. The quote blends instruction (clear away debris, renovate borders, start gardens) with a moral reminder: productivity should not eclipse attention. By insisting that “everyone must take time to sit still,” she elevates contemplation to a necessary part of cultivation, suggesting that a garden is not only made by labor but also by sustained looking. The turning leaves become both a seasonal spectacle and a lesson in patience, acceptance, and gratitude for cyclical change.