Deciduous foliage gets colorful with autumn chill. Then, it gets messy. Then, with a bit of precipitation, it gets even messier! It seems like a waste as it all succumbs to rain and, in other climates, snow. It is sensible, though. Deciduous vegetation will be less vulnerable to stormy weather without it. Weather will be getting increasingly stormy through autumn.
This is how the Mediterranean climate here operates. The dry season that begins during spring continues until autumn. The relatively shorter rainy season centers around winter. Therefore, most precipitation occurs during winter. Spring and autumn are brief transition seasons that tend to favor the dry season. Almost no precipitation occurs during summer.
Spring and autumn transitions between rainy and dry seasons are innately variable. The rainy season tends to finish early during spring, but may not. It sometimes pauses before resuming. It may do so more than once. Conversely, the rainy season tends to begin late during autumn, but may begin earlier. Occasionally, precipitation begins disturbingly late.
Generally, the first significant storm with significant precipitation begins the rainy season. This may be difficult to believe with typically significant time between the first few storms. Yet, with cooler weather, elevated humidity, and shorter daylength, moisture lasts longer. Precipitation, even if merely drizzling fog, will likely dampen gardens before they get dry.
Irrigation obviously does not need to be as generous as it was during summer. Until next spring, some vegetation will require none at all. Not only will weather provide and retain more moisture, but vegetation uses much less. Refraining from manual irrigation is easy. Adjustment of automated irrigation systems actually requires more effort and awareness.
As deciduous species defoliate for winter, some other species might get more vivacious. Cacti, agave, and some yuccas that lack irrigation become more turgid with precipitation. Remaining palo verde foliage is likely to become greener and fresher prior to defoliation. Most xeric species utilize moisture from precipitation as it becomes available seasonally.
Tony Tomeo 
The climate is so different where you are. Not to mention the plants. I’ll never forget finding a landscaper in a park in Southern California and leading him around asking what things were, kind of like Helen Keller at the well pump. Finally, he looked at me like I was ET and asked where I was from. East of the Mississippi, I said. Same thing with a lot of birds…Do you compost the leaves? Or are they a fire hazard?
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Neither. Although they are combustible, most of the fire hazard remains suspended within foliar canopies. They are less combustible on the ground. I do not compost them because there are so many. I mean, if we want some to compost in any particular area, we merely do not rake them right away. There is no need to bring any more in, although composted material would be better than fresh. Redwood debris gets removed from garden spaces because of its herbicidal effect. We do compost kitchen scraps and coffee from the big kitchens at work, along with what the horses provide, but relative to the size of the landscapes, we do not use much compost. When I resume more home gardening, I will use more.
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