There are those falls that I simply haven’t had time to get the garden before the snow falls and you know what, it’s been just fine. Typically, if you can get the leaves predominantly cleaned up so that they do not damage your lawn in the spring, your gardens like the natural protection from the elements. Additionally, consider the look of a winter garden. I like seeing the grasses with snow on them.
This does mean that in the spring, you need to get out early and cut everything back so that the new life has the room to grow. But we are anxious to get outside in the spring, so plan your calendar accordingly. Here is a recent article that might give more ideas and support to the theory.