Today, we visited Fuller Gardens in No. Hampton, NH, to admire all the roses at their peak. Fuller Gardens is a botanical garden situated along the seacoast.
Since 2022, I’ve made my way to Fuller Gardens each summer, and here’s something that may sound overstated but truly isn’t: every visit is more stunning than the last.
Perhaps it’s because I arrive at somewhat different points during each season and witness a new display every time. One year, the roses were at their height; another year, I came slightly later, and the perennial borders took center stage. Or maybe I’m the one who has changed. These days, I look at the perennial beds with a more trained eye, observing their color pairings and storing ideas for my own garden. I even kneel down to examine the succulents in the conservatory, something I never would have done four years ago.
Whatever the reason, Fuller Gardens now holds a permanent place in my summer tradition, and if you’re within driving range of the New Hampshire seacoast, it deserves a place on yours as well.
When I heard that the roses at Fuller Gardens were all in bloom, I knew I needed to visit as quickly as I could! Believe it or not, the gardens contain 1,500 rose bushes representing 125 distinct varieties!!!! It’s truly incredible!
Fuller Gardens is a botanical garden established on the former Fuller family estate. Alvan Fuller, a Boston businessman who eventually served as Governor of Massachusetts, created the property in the late 1920s as a summer retreat for his wife and children.
The original residence no longer stands, though the lovely carriage house is still on the property and provides a backdrop for the gardens.
Spanning 3 acres, the gardens feature formal rose displays, English perennial borders, a Japanese garden, a conservatory, along with striking fountains and sculptures.
New England in Flower
This belongs to New England in Bloom, my continuing series featuring the small farms, independent nurseries, and tucked-away garden treasures throughout New England. There’s so much here in our own backyard that deserves to be celebrated!
The Side Garden/ Rose Garden
If Fuller Gardens is new to you, nothing really prepares you for the instant you pass through that leafy tunnel and the side garden suddenly unfolds before you.
It simply opens wide. And there they stand.
There were fifteen hundred rose bushes and one hundred twenty-five varieties. On the morning we arrived, every one of them was at the height of its bloom.
Over the years, I’ve experienced this garden in several different conditions. I once came just after the roses had reached their prime, with many already finished flowering, and the garden was still lovely. But when the roses are at peak bloom? That is an entirely different experience. Each row was abundant and thriving, with layers of color everywhere: soft pinks, rich crimsons, creamy whites, and that distinctive coral-orange shade roses produce better than nearly any other flower.
And then there’s the scent. Every year, I forget about it until I’m standing among the roses, and suddenly I remember, ‘oh, this is how roses are meant to smell’. It isn’t the faint aroma of a supermarket bouquet. This is the genuine fragrance, rich, warm, and surrounding you from every direction.
We took our time as we wandered. There was really no other option.
What always strikes me about this garden is its remarkable scale — the extended rows, the precisely trimmed hedges, and the feeling that this place has been cared for with genuine dedication over many years. It doesn’t seem like an ordinary public garden. Instead, it feels like someone’s personal garden vision, and you’ve been fortunate enough to receive an invitation inside.
If roses are the sole reason you come, they provide more than enough motivation
After passing through the tree tunnel, you arrive at what is known as the “side garden,” a formal space lined with row after row of the most spectacular roses you could imagine.
We stopped by on a Saturday morning, and I was happily surprised to discover that, despite the packed parking lot, the gardens themselves didn’t feel crowded whatsoever! My photos give you an idea.
Still, once summer progresses and beachgoing visitors begin arriving along the coast, it may become more crowded.
…so we were genuinely able to pause and enjoy the scent of every rose!!
Lydia Fuller Bottomly Garden
This section is the most recently added area of the gardens, having been developed fewer than 20 years ago,
A hedge-lined entrance at the back of the side garden leads to the Lydia Fuller Bottomly Garden. This spacious, open area also serves as a wedding location.
I would absolutely adore attending a wedding here—it’s such an ideal setting! (As it turned out, a wedding was scheduled for later that day, and we had just missed it!)
The reflecting pool and marble statue near the entrance were among my favorite elements of this garden.
As you wander around, you can hear the gentle rush of moving water. Small fountains and other water details are nestled throughout the gardens.
Japanese Garden
Stepping from the bright, expansive rose garden into the Japanese Garden feels like taking a deep breath.
After passing through an entryway surrounded by enormous hosta-filled pots, New Hampshire seems to vanish within just a few steps. The trail curves beneath a canopy of distinctive trees. I couldn’t identify many of them, and to be honest, I had no desire to pause and research them. Instead, I wanted to stroll at an easy pace and linger in the cool shade. Certain places are meant to be enjoyed, not documented.
A sizable pond sits at the heart of the garden, surrounded by layered trees and low-growing plants, while large koi glide through the water. We paused there for a few moments and simply… became still. Following the overwhelming spectacle of fifteen hundred roses in bloom, the Japanese Garden provides a peaceful reset—a moment to catch your breath before returning to the bright sunlight.
Take your time here. It’s incredibly peaceful.
The Conservatory
To be honest, during my first visit several years ago, I passed through the conservatory, noticed oh, neat, cacti, and continued on my way.
That’s not how I approach it anymore.
Fuller Gardens’ conservatory holds an astonishing assortment of succulents and cacti, and since I’ve tumbled pretty deeply into the succulent obsession myself, I could easily spend thirty minutes inside, taking my time as I made my way around. The range is truly impressive, featuring forms and textures you wouldn’t come across at just any garden center, with plants that appear almost architectural and others that hardly look real.
Yet what brought me to a complete stop during this visit? The staghorn ferns.
I keep staghorn ferns at home too. Mine are little ones, waiting until they’re large enough to mount on boards and doing their best in the meantime. At Fuller Gardens, the ferns are attached to the wall and absolutely enormous—the sort of scale a plant reaches only after years and years of careful attention. For a plant enthusiast like me, it was honestly pretty exciting!
If you usually hurry through the conservatory on your way toward the roses, take your time instead. This space deserves much more than a fleeting walk-through.
The conservatory contains every variety of succulent and cactus you could possibly picture! Never before had I encountered so many rare plants gathered in one spot—and I certainly hadn’t seen such an assortment of unusual cacti anywhere else!! Beautiful orchids were flowering there too.
Front Garden
Here’s the detail no one seems to mention about Fuller Gardens: visit during the height of rose season, spend your entire time in the side garden, and you’ll miss half of the display.
The formal English perennial borders surrounding the front garden are remarkable, and they’ve honestly become another feature I now anticipate. This year, I paused there and found myself reluctant to go!
Although I adored the roses in the side garden, this area may have been my favorite part of the property. Naturally, roses grow throughout the garden’s central section as well, but stone pathways wind among perennial beds, statues, fountains, and shrubs.
I’m not the same gardener I was when I first came here in 2022. These days I grow flowers for cutting, and I consider color, texture, and flowering periods in ways I never did before. Walking through a thoughtfully planned perennial border now feels less like a casual stroll and more like taking a lesson. The borders at Fuller Gardens are essentially a master class in planting combinations, so I spent the whole time collecting ideas mentally and taking photographs.
The first combination to catch my attention paired vivid pink yarrow with lady’s mantle, whose airy yellow-green blooms tumbled over the border’s edge. In theory, hot pink alongside chartreuse sounds like an unlikely match, but in person, the colors worked so beautifully that I almost held my breath. I’ve already made up my mind to recreate it at home.
During some of my visits to Fuller Gardens, I’ve been fortunate enough to catch the peonies while they were still flowering. I especially value how the garden is planned so that something remains in bloom throughout the season, beginning with the striking spring alliums and peonies and continuing into late-season dahlias and sedums.
This is the part of Fuller Gardens I would recommend to any gardener, whether you’re a beginner or have been growing plants for decades. Regardless of your experience, you’ll find something worth recording. The border plants have labels, though some markers disappear beneath the foliage, so be ready to photograph anything that catches your eye and research it afterward. That’s the method I use.
I read that the Fullers restored the garden’s statues and fountains during their many journeys to Europe.
Art enthusiasts will also discover several magnificent pieces here.
One delightful detail was the network of hidden garden paths tucked behind the tall shrubs bordering the front garden. From the outside, you couldn’t tell whether they went anywhere!
Plan Your Visit
Fuller Gardens
10 Willow Avenue, North Hampton, NH
Open from mid-May until early October, every day from 10 am–5:30 pm (last admission 5 pm)
•Choose an overcast day when possible. Much of the garden sits beneath direct sunlight with minimal shade, which looks stunning in person but can make photography difficult. Cloudy or partly cloudy skies create a gentler, more balanced look; your camera (or phone) will appreciate it, and your eyes will too.
•Wear clothing in layers. Since Fuller Gardens is directly beside the ocean, you’ll notice the coastal air. Even during a warm summer day, a breeze is almost always coming off the water, and the temperature may feel considerably cooler than it did when you left home inland. It was nearly 10º warmer at my house, and I live only a few miles away!
•Head there during the week if you prefer fewer people. Weekends become more crowded, particularly after beach season begins along the seacoast. A weekday morning feels almost like having the place to yourself.
Plan your visit around the flowers in bloom:
- June: Roses reach their peak. The side garden looks absolutely spectacular.
- July: The roses begin to fade, while the perennial borders take center stage. Truly, don’t overlook this time.
- Late summer: Watch for dahlias as the season progresses.
Be sure to cross the street before you leave. Directly opposite the garden is a charming little white chapel overlooking the ocean, making it an ideal way to finish your visit.
Why I Keep Coming Back
For the past four summers, I’ve visited Fuller Gardens, and I plan to return for plenty more. It’s just ten minutes from my home, costs less than eating lunch out, and has never failed to leave me feeling a little more at ease.
That’s what makes this place special. It never feels as packed as larger botanical gardens. There isn’t a gift shop that you’re directed through on your way out (though there is the sweetest shop filled with lovely merchandise!), nor an Instagram setup surrounded by a queue of people waiting to capture the exact same image. Instead, it’s three acres of exceptionally maintained garden along the New Hampshire seacoast, quietly displaying its beauty each summer, whether you visit or not.
If you haven’t visited yet, make the trip. Don’t hold out for the ideal weather or the perfect point in the season- simply go and allow whatever is flowering to delight you. If you’ve visited before but it’s been some time, return. I’m sure you’ll discover something you overlooked.
Some destinations deserve an annual visit. Fuller Gardens has earned that place in my routine every time.
xo, Jennifer
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