Container gardens are one of the most rewarding ways to bring fine gardening to your doorstep, but summer is when they need you most. From managing moisture in Exeter's warm afternoons to feeding, grooming, and repositioning plants as the season shifts, consistent care makes all the difference. Seacoast Gardener shares the practical steps that keep containers looking spectacular from June all the way through September.

As September settles in across the New Hampshire Seacoast, falling leaves and fading summer plants offer the perfect mix for a compost refresh. Balancing browns and greens this time of year helps keep your pile active through fall, turning yard waste into nutrient-rich compost for spring gardens.

The last week of May is one of the most important moments in the gardening calendar for Rye, New Hampshire homeowners. Soil temperatures are rising, spring bloomers are finishing up, and the window for soil preparation and mulching is closing fast. Seacoast Gardener shares a practical, zone-specific checklist covering everything your Rye garden needs before June arrives, from pruning forsythia and lilac at exactly the right moment to laying fresh mulch before summer heat sets in along the coast.

Not every garden needs a sprawling yard to be beautiful. In North Hampton, New Hampshire, container gardening is one of the smartest ways to make the most of a compact patio, a wind-swept deck, or a narrow entryway. With the right containers, the right soil mix, and a little seasonal attention, even a small outdoor space can become something truly worth coming home to. Seacoast Gardener shares practical guidance on choosing pots, building healthy soil, pruning container shrubs, and planning for four seasons of interest along the New Hampshire Seacoast.

If your roses are dropping leaves, showing dark spots, and looking bare from the bottom up, black spot has found its way into your Exeter garden. It is the most persistent rose disease in the Northeast, and the humid conditions of a coastal New England summer give it everything it needs to build quickly. Here is how to recognize it, stop it from spreading, and set your roses up for a strong finish to the season.

Lilacs are New Hampshire’s state flower and a springtime favorite across the Seacoast, from Portsmouth to Rye, Exeter to North Hampton. Their fragrant blooms are stunning, but without the right pruning, lilacs quickly become overgrown, woody, and sparse. The key is timing — prune immediately after they finish blooming in late May or early June. With regular deadheading, thinning of older stems, and thoughtful shaping, lilacs will reward you with healthier growth, vibrant blossoms, and decades of beauty in your garden.