Many favorite perennials look tired and in need of TLC this time of the year. Many garden favorites like Shasta daisies, summer-blooming sages, rudbeckia, yarrow and verbena and asters can be cut back to the ground. So can natives like Matilija poppies and California fuchsia (Zauschneria). Penstemon, lion’s tail (Leonotis) and Mexican sage can be cut to about a foot high. Others like coreopsis, lamb’s ears and veronica benefit from having all woody or dead stems cut out while spent or dead stems on alstroemeria can simply be yanked from the ground. Remove any fallen leaves and add them with the prunings to the compost pile.