After Labor Day is a great time to plant many things. The risk of heat stress is reduced and, because evaporation is generally less of a problem, watering is easier. Also, in the fall most plants are not putting much energy into growth of branches, stems, flowers, or foliage; thus, their energy can be applied to establishing roots.
You may think spring is the best time to plant and update your Central Virginia landscape. However, with the lower temperatures during the fall, fall time is actually perfect for planting an array of trees, shrubs and groundcovers and even pruning some trees and shrubs. In the fall, cooler weather will put less stress on the plants during installation, thus allowing them to better acclimate to the new surroundings.