Private front garden?

[Chasingpandas]

Sorry I know I’ve posted about this house before, but we love the house. The problem is the garden is small and east facing so would lose all sun by mid afternoon. So no late afternoon bbq parties etc. The front garden is huge and currently has a hedge down one side. We are thinking if we put a hedge/fence down the other side and made it into a private front garden it would solve the problem as this would get afternoon sun. But would you go to someone’s house and sit out the front in a private garden? Is this a stupid idea? What would you do?

I can’t see the problem with this idea but sometimes there are regulations that affect the height of hedges / fences in front gardens so I would check that before you do anything .

Yeh but only if no one could see in.

I think if you want to have guests etc then you would need to screen it all the way round, ie across the front as well (obviously with a gate to get in) not just at the sides. Otherwise everyone will be watching your BBQs!

We lived in a house like this but garden was more to the side of house completely visible from road we low picket fence. We planted a hedge which gave us privacy from the road and made it our main garden. Be careful about fences , you need planning permission for a fence above 1m to the front of your property , no restrictions on hedging but obviously this takes a few years to become established.

Yes I would. We have a big front garden, as do our neighbours on our very quiet cul-de-sac. I grew up with one and every house I have lived in has had one.
I hate to see one's that have been turned into giant carparks.

I live in Australia, very common here for people to have pools in their front garden.
We have a friend who sets up a table on her driveway when she hosts and we all sit there quite happily.
I wouldn't think twice about sitting in your private front garden, sounds lovely.

We had a big front garden when the dc were small - unsupervised play in back (kitchen faced back garden so it wasn't really). The front was over 50 ft x 35 so it was big enough for ball games (supervised) etc - the advantage was that my neighbours had quieter back gardens! We were on a quiet road

I live in the 'burbs, lots of terraced houses. There are lots and lots of them that have seats in the front garden, because that's the sunny one. Most have a hedge between the pavement and the garden. Do what's right for YOU and stop assuming that everyone is listening to you. It's a weird British paranoia.My MIL had a gorgeous garden but only ever used it to hang out washing because she didn't like the idea she could be seen or herd by passers by. Why let passers by spoil a fabulous asset? Go for it. Front gardens all the way!

Sounds great! Several of our neigbours and friends do this.

Oh great, sounds like it would be ok then. It’s not really the fine thing round here so I wasn’t sure. But if we make it look nice it then hopefully it’ll be ok. Does anyone know if you need planning permission for doing this in your front garden?

perhaps no topless sunbathing though !

I think the only issue would be the fence at the front facing the road - some places have restrictions on height but if your hedge is set behind this & it doesn't overflow pavement (which is irritating for pedestrians especially if you have buggy or wheelchair et al & its a narrow pavement) it should be OK What I have seen is where people divide garden into 2 sections where the front road side is more open - usually for parking & the back half nearest the house is fully enclosed

@Chasingpandas

Oh great, sounds like it would be ok then. It’s not really the fine thing round here so I wasn’t sure. But if we make it look nice it then hopefully it’ll be ok. Does anyone know if you need planning permission for doing this in your front garden?

You need to check the covenants of your property some do not permit it, rules are here

www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/20/fences_gates_and_garden_walls

@mumwon

I think the only issue would be the fence at the front facing the road - some places have restrictions on height but if your hedge is set behind this & it doesn't overflow pavement (which is irritating for pedestrians especially if you have buggy or wheelchair et al & its a narrow pavement) it should be OK What I have seen is where people divide garden into 2 sections where the front road side is more open - usually for parking & the back half nearest the house is fully enclosed

Yes this is what we want to do, parking at the front by the road, garden next to the house.

@Bluntness100 we checked the land registry for the house but it’s not that clear. Where else do you think we can check?

We have a private back yard and a front/side garden that is completely private thanks to a large hedge that goes right the way around. In the summer when the hedge is full we often have family round and it’s absolutely fine. The only downside is not feeling comfortable letting our DS out front unattended like we would in a back garden. But we have his sand pit etc in the back yard which gets the sun all day. Works for us!

I would raise an eyebrow if you invited me into your ‘private front garden’

We are almost (everything crossed) at exchange on a property with the same issue. Back garden is South East so not sure how long it'll get the sun whereas front should get the late afternoon sun. Having similar discussions here about how/if we can use the front garden for summer bbqs etc. Interesting ideas here and positive responses to the suggestion

@EggBobbin

you paid for the front garden when you bought your house......use it or you've just wasted money.

who cares if other people's habits have changed?
even if you didn't have a privacy hedge/fence you can still sit in your own front yard irrespective of 'cultural changes'.

There are a few houses around here who use their front and side gardens! They are huge and have very tall hedges.

Stick kids on one side and stay on the other, and everybody is happy. As long as it's private, who cares.

Not everyone has a secluded back garden, many houses back onto a road so their back gardens are not that quiet or private anyway. My train line is right next to many gardens, you can see everything from the train.

Oooh this bugged me fir like a month once. Saw a house with tiny yard in a back, but HUUUUUGE front garden. The front wasn't used at all, bar car parking, because it's a front garden. It's just odd not to use space when you have it. Such a waste.

This is my set up and love using our front garden. I’m on a corner plot so garden goes around the side of the house as well as having a front and back garden. Access is to the side. We have a main road to the front but not overlooked except by immediate neighbours. Our back garden is smaller than the front and because its east facing and the neighbours are all busy in their back gardens we started using our much larger front garden (west facing). It’s got hedging and fencing that makes it as private as any back garden. I have a large gate to stop pets and children escaping.

Check covenants in the deeds. And as someone said front fences can only be 1m high. I'd put a 1m fence up and plant hedges to grow higher over the years and make the part near the house private.
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Another suggestion if cost is an issue is to put down younger hedging plants in the area that you would like to create seclusion in and you could use tempory wind breakers to create extra privacy. They are just poles in the ground.

With a west facing aspect, especially if it's secluded without any breeze you will be amazed at just how much time you will spend in your garden.

I'm a very keen gardener, not particularly knowledgeable, but my garden is my pride and joy.

Little gives me greater pleasure than sitting in it, admiring it, in the hot evening sun, with a large drink in my hand😁.

We eat out their, BBQ, drink coffee, read, any day that's warm.

If you treat it like you are really creating on ourside room, you will get great use from it.