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Original poster

To wonder why anyone would choose to buy a house with a north facing garden?

373 replies

chillidoritto · 26/09/2023 18:50

Currently trying to find a new house and every time I think we’ve found one that ticks all the boxes, a quick look on street view shows it has a north facing garden!!

A woman at playgroup was going on about how lucky she was that she had a shady north facing garden! It’s dark, damp and nothing seems to grow there except moss! She does have very pasty kids mind.

Am I missing something? Are they so bad?

OP posts:
SaySomethingMan · 26/09/2023 19:25

i understood the OP’d reference to the children’s ‘colouring’ immediately so I don’t understand the outrage tbh

Saschka · 26/09/2023 19:28

SaySomethingMan · 26/09/2023 19:25

i understood the OP’d reference to the children’s ‘colouring’ immediately so I don’t understand the outrage tbh

Because it’s a really stupid comment? Nobody has pasty skin because of the direction their garden faces. You have pasty skin because you have pasty genetics, or because you never go out.

A child who is in school five days a week, out in the playground for an hour at midday every day, who is still pasty, is just naturally pale. It isn’t lack of UV exposure.

AlexaCanYouHearMe · 26/09/2023 19:28

@chillidoritto

Unless your garden is only 20 feet long, I can't see an issue with a north facing garden. Many roads have say 56 properties, and 28 of them will be facing the other 28, so half of them will fairly likely to be north facing gardens.

I think south facing back gardens are overrated. Get too hot in Summer. Our back garden is west facing. And it's 80 feet long, so we are happy. The sun doesn't come in to the lounge til late afternoon, so it's never too hot in there.

Whether the 'pasty children' comment is offensive or not, it was still a pretty stupid comment. (And a bit rude frankly.)

@Torganer

It’s true. Originally we were a blonde haired, blue eyed family from Iceland. Having now purchased a house with a south facing garden, we now have glossy dark hair and Mediterranean olive skin. Highly recommend.

😂

Tiddlywinkly · 26/09/2023 19:28

We've got a north facing back garden. There's plenty of shade for the kids to play, but we still get the sun for clothes drying and sitting out. It's fine.

SugarHorse · 26/09/2023 19:30

chillidoritto · 26/09/2023 18:50

Currently trying to find a new house and every time I think we’ve found one that ticks all the boxes, a quick look on street view shows it has a north facing garden!!

A woman at playgroup was going on about how lucky she was that she had a shady north facing garden! It’s dark, damp and nothing seems to grow there except moss! She does have very pasty kids mind.

Am I missing something? Are they so bad?

I've had a north facing garden in the past and have one now too. It's full of lovely plants, which grow well and it never crosses my mind to even think about which way it faces!

Onelifeonly · 26/09/2023 19:32

All the houses I've bought have been terraced though current is end of terrace.

The first house had an East facing short garden. Nice in the morning when I never thought of sitting out there, shady by afternoon.

The second had a north facing garden but skewed a bit to the west. Was long too so we did get sun round there. Able to sit out out lunch and sun came to the side of the house in late afternoons (terrace with back extension).

Current garden is south facing and is great. Though there are large trees that shade parts of it. and one bed never gets the sun due to a high fence, neighbouring trees and our garage.

TBH I would definitely take account of whether / where the garden got sun if / when I buy again. I like to be able to sit out in the sun.

Justhereforthebabynames · 26/09/2023 19:32

Our front garden is north facing and the back garden is south facing. I prefer the front, not because it is north facing. It's just prettier but I'm not put off it because it is north facing.

Summerbay23 · 26/09/2023 19:33

We have a South facing garden and it is often far too roasting in the summer, the kitchen/dining room gets really hot too. We often say a north facing garden would be better as long as it was long enough that you also had sun at one end.

Original poster
chillidoritto · 26/09/2023 19:34

Lots of positive answers about north facing gardens. I guess so long as the garden is long enough I will still be able to dry the washing / sit outside/ enjoy being outside without getting cold!

The lady with the pasty kids doesn’t want them being in sunlight at all because they burn very easily. It wasn’t a criticism - just me trying to understand why she loves the shady garden so much! Not sure why it’s caused such a furore!

OP posts:
WhatAPalaverer · 26/09/2023 19:34

There are many other factors than direction that affect a garden. Our previous north facing one was twice as wide as the house so half of it was in full sun all day. The rest was great for the small children to play in the shade.

Friend’s south facing garden is on a downward slope with very tall trees at the bottom and most of it is unusable due to the slope and near darkness under the trees. The patio by her house is like an oven and they hide under umbrellas on it!

TropicalTrama · 26/09/2023 19:34

I grew up in a house with a north facing garden. When went through my teenage tanning phase, obvs desperate not to be branded pasty, I could always find a sunny patch, unfortunately for my mid 30s hyperpigmentation. I think it’s probably only an issue if the garden is very small and/or overlooked so in the constant shade. My current house is west facing and the kitchen at the back is basically a greenhouse, we grow tropical plants which is nice for ambience but it’s so hot all summer long it’s not enjoyable.

Ohmylovejune · 26/09/2023 19:35

My parents house has a north facing garden.

It has a sun trap area as the sun comes over the side of their house.

Their lounge is cool in the daft heat of summer but also cold in winter, so they put in a beautiful log burner.

Oh, and let's not forget their fabulous direct sea view over to Wales!

There are good reasons for north facing gardens and rooms

CurlyhairedAssassin · 26/09/2023 19:35

Surely it depends on things like how long your garden is and how built up it is around it, or how many tall trees?

You can have a long north facing garden that gets adequate sunshine to sit in, or you can have a small north facing garden which has neighbouring tall trees or hedges which block light.

Our garden is south facing but it's fairly small. It's pretty unusable on an extremely hot day as you just melt - the lawn goes all crispy and the plants hate it. Until the sun gets to a certain position and it would be just the right temp late afternoon, but instead the bloody leylandii behind us cast shade over our whole lawn.

Don't dismiss a north facing garden. Just look at what you have around it and how much light it actually gets.

Notagreatyear · 26/09/2023 19:36

I have a South facing garden. Lots of beautiful plants especially evergreens that thrive in North facing gardens.

LastHives · 26/09/2023 19:37

We have a North facing garden in a detached house and we have sun all day - admittedly at different parts of the garden.

edwinbear · 26/09/2023 19:38

I’m so unbothered about my garden that I couldn’t tell you which direction it faces! We get sun in it, we can have a BBQ in it, that’s all I need a garden to do!

LakeTiticaca · 26/09/2023 19:38

I grew up in a house with a North facing garden and I have no recollection of it being dark and dismal. Quite the opposite actually!!

ActDottie · 26/09/2023 19:39

Because people like different things? Because people are happy to compromise on the garden aspect?

Playingintheshadow · 26/09/2023 19:40

Raincloudsonasunnyday · 26/09/2023 18:59

I'd rather have a south-facing living room. Gardens are overrated.

God no, my garden is my oasis!!

It's a bit of a suntrap too which is lovely - garden is south-facing but we have a lot of tall trees for shade. Have to get them cut back regularly as they block the sun in the early evening, especially this time of year.

I love my garden, just wish it was bigger! House has a large frontage - wish they'd built the house further forward and give me a bigger back garden!

Dacadactyl · 26/09/2023 19:42

I've lived in many a house and honestly couldn't tell you what direction the garden faced.

Been in this house 7 years and still don't know what direction the garden faces.

paddyclampofthethirdkind · 26/09/2023 19:42

As long as it gets some light - enough to sit and get some vitamin D or to put the paddling pool I would consider it. I wouldn’t buy one with a garden that was completely in the shade though.

What is the front garden like? Mind you, I’m not sure whether putting the paddling pool there would please the neighbours! It wouldn’t bother me personally but some people!!

ladygindiva · 26/09/2023 19:43

I love my south facing garden but my friend would hate it. She likes to sit in the shade as she hates heat and is very fair skinned. Each to their own.

Fallingthroughclouds · 26/09/2023 19:45

Because it's more affordable, they like the house, it has great views, the sun at the front makes it lovely, its close to good schools, it's a good commute, it was a bargain, they can make money on it, they are not bothered about sunny gardens......the list goes on an one. What a silly question.

ThirtyThrillionThreeTrees · 26/09/2023 19:46

Ever heard of a housing shortage, affordability issues or personal preference?

fruitstick · 26/09/2023 19:48

We have a north facing garden.

It does get sun in parts during the day.

Great when the kids were small as they could play outside in the shade and not permanently fretting about sunburn.

In the summer months our kitchen/family room is lovely and cool, even though we have large glass doors whereas the front of the house is sweltering.

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