Summer Annuals or Mums?

I take care of four tree pits in front of my building (as well as the roof top) and change the plantings as seasons and my mood strikes. Other Ellen hates to rip out summer annuals that haven't met their fated frost date and so do I (See her post of 10/14/08) yet I keep hoping to have an opportunity to plant mums, or purple-tinged kale that will shine until mid winter. The coleus just refuse to exit gracefully. If an annual has contributed loyally to a garden for 4 1/2 months, hasn't it earned it's right to remain?

My solution: in mid October pull out anything that looks disreputable and fill the spaces with pumpkins. If not interfered with they'll add color through January snows when they start to rot and must be discarded. This year, I bought nine smallish pumpkins to fill the bare spots. As I set them in place a passer-by stopped to ask if I was the Pumpkin Fairy? I've been called worse in my day.
Will they get smashed or stolen? Stay tuned for city street updates.

Last year in January, 3/4 of the
pumpkins remained and looked quite intriguing with the berries and boughs 'planted' in late November. Look hard; two pumpkins are
partially buried under the snow.
Double click on the image to enlarge it.