To ask neighbour not to smoke in his own garden?

Yes @SacreBleugh that's spot on. I don't think its fair to presume because he is a smoker that he is selfish and thoughtless, he might be embarrassed and not have realised. All you can do is ask, phrase it like you are making him aware that it's a problem rather than demanding he stops. I think a note is better than confrontation.

I think you could reasonably ask for him to do it a different part of the garden, away from your windows. Unfortunately not much you can do if he ignores you.

If it's raining the smoke won't drift up, so he wouldn't need to get kitted out as you describe.

There are many people - myself included - who sleep with windows open in urban areas. Not sure why you're so incredulous about that.

OP, I'd certainly try a fan pointing at the open window. It might work.

I think you would be wrong to ask him to move, because for him it would involve having to get dressed etc. If it was me, I would keep the bedroom window closed and open all the other windows and doors to allow any breeze to waft through.

Not really. You could perhaps ask him to move a bit so it's not directly going into your window but when you live in close proximity to other people you just have to deal with stuff like this. Your right to not have a bit of secondhand smoke blowing into your house now and again doesn't trump his right to smoke on his own property, sorry.

What a stupid idea. He'd be very pissed off to have all that shite through the door, and he is very likely to guess who sent it

This is perfect. If he ignores it, then close the windows and get a light fan fitted.

Hell be doing it at the french doors so that he doesn’t have to put shoes and coat on to go out down the garden. Probably sometimes he’s not even dressed for the day. So it will be quite a change in habit and routine to go down the garden out of the house where you have to get decent, coat, shoes, and maybe put a chair or shelter down there. Standing in the patio doors is protecting him from rain etc, so going fully out is going to mean getting wet, or taking an umbrella out and drying it after. I don’t love smoking but the reality is it is quite significantly more faff and process to go down the garden than stand in the patio doors and smoke out, and that’s why he’s doing it the latter way. So your request is a fairly big change to routine, rightly or wrongly.

I have never slept with a bedroom window open, for reasons of noise as well as smells. I’d never get any sleep at all. Does everyone live in remote rural places to be able to have the windows open at night?

You could certainly ask him, but he is completely entitled to say no. He can smoke as much as he likes on his property. I can certainly understand why you hate it, but these sorts of inconveniences are part and parcel of living in close proximity to others.

I actually don't mind the smell of a cigarette drifting over my garden - but I really dislike the smell of barbecues, for some reason. I wouldn't ask my neighbours not to have barbecues, though.

He might not be aware op so if he seems nice enough to deal with then I'd say to him that the smoke is coming up into your rooms and if it's not raining would he mind smoking at the other side of the garden.

I don’t think there’s any harm asking him to move down the garden. Our neighbour smokes in his garden and it’s really unpleasant even though our gardens are big and he’s not close.

I’m a vegetarian. My neighbour has barbecues frequently and the smell knocks me sick. But it’s his garden and I wouldn’t dream of saying anything because it’s his prerogative to do as he pleases in his own garden. Smoking outside means that it’s not going to harm you, it’s just unpleasant. I would do as others have suggested and point a fan at the window.

If you want control of the garden you need to buy/rent the property with the garden.

I’d hate it so I empathise but he is doing nothing wrong. If you don’t like it you have the choice to move or close the window.

We don't know that for sure.

I smoke and am ashamed of it! I'd be mortified if a neighbour explained that my smoke had been affecting them.

I'd not only find somewhere else to smoke, I'd be apologising profusely.

It’s worth asking him to smoke further out in his garden. Most people would understand and accommodate their nice neighbours.

Well I’m an ex smoker so I can see both sides here…l
I now find it very unpleasant but if you are a smoker you are now made to feel like a leper…. And it is his own back garden.
I would ask nicely if there is any way he could smoke further down the garden but as others have said, you may just have to shut your windows and use a fan…

Hes allowed to smoke in his own garden. How about a friendly word asking him would he mind smoking away from your wondwo as its xoming into your bedroom

I’d ask him to move away from the building, or go out the front?

There are LOADS of "completely legal" things people could do in their own homes but don't because they live in proximity to others. A little give and take is worth considering, rather than just saying "it's legal, so...."

Good luck with that!

At my friend's house we smoke at the bottom of the garden when upstairs has their windows open

Hygienic.
I will never understand people who say this.

We had similar situation a couple of years ago. Our neighbours were smoking all the time and laughed when we asked could they go further down the garden. We didn’t argue - we just decided to let the dc out to play nice and early and had impromptu Bbqs each time they hung washing out, it lasted 2 weeks and they apologised and said they could see our point 😂

Difficult one. Are you on good terms with him? It might be worth going and speaking to him but saying it in a way that explains you know that this seems a cheeky thing to say and you're very sorry to come across that way but the smoke smell is drifting into your flat and if it wouldn't be too much hassle could he possibly go a bit further up the garden or face a different direction? After all he doesn't smoke in his flat so I guess he knows that's not ideal - just in the spirit of all getting along together would he mind terribly just going a little further up the garden?