To think that time losing sun *is* a good reason?

[PaddingtonTheAngelofDeath]

We are looking to move, it is for 'wants' rather than 'needs'.

My parents have suggested that they buy our smaller house, and we theirs, financially it would make sense for both and it has everything we are looking for, except;

the sun is gone from their garden by 18.30-40 this time of year, my garden keeps the sun until it sets.

No one else in my household really cares (dd a little) but I don't want to move somewhere where I can't sit in the garden in the sun. I sit out every possible night, I am sat now writing this with the sun still uninterrupted.

I don't get home until 6-6.15 and I work indoors with only artificial light, I'm not fussed about anything else, I am happy to move as the only thing I love is the garden but equally I am happy here.

DH says IABU but he gets all he wants (double garage, workshop, office and gym) whereas I lose the only think I want.

Exactly! Our house has a north / north east facing garden.

The part of the garden that lies closest to facing North is the part that gets the sun all day long!

Our back garden gets the sun all day somehow. It's beautiful.

We are in a windy spot though so some downsides.

Front garden is south facing. Have often wondered about letting the hedges grow to waist height to give us some privacy if we sat out there.

OP Could you do the house swap sale thingy, try it out for a while but then sell? Surely you'll make a significant profit?

Just a thought. Are the trees in your parent’s garden? Can you raise the crowns and reduce their height to thin them out so they don’t cast as much shadow?
I found a lovely Victorian house with a good sized, leafy garden that ticked every box in terms of space/location/kerb appeal & budget except it faced south at the front and north at the back. Despite the MN naysayers, I still bought it.
The clincher was that I got a tree surgeon to survey the garden between offer and exchange. The trees in ‘my’ garden and on the boundary had never been looked after so they weren’t in great condition; overcrowded, top heavy and just too big for the plot. Some were actually unsafe. People are rightly precious about trees but don’t realise that they need looking after like other plants. I now have fewer trees but they’re healthy, full of wildlife and best of all the amount of light I got after the work was done was incredible. In the evening I get sun until sundown. Not across the whole rear/north garden but in at least half. I’d get more but to increase it I’d have to lose some of the trees that screen my garden from my neighbours’ houses.

How many days in the year do we actually get enough sun for you to sit out in the garden?
It is nice to sit out in the evenings, but in this country we spend a lot more time inside than outside.

On paper it sounds silly.

However I think the lack of natural light in our house at the time contributed to my depression a few years ago. There were other factors, but that hpuse had wierd effect on me

If it’s the ground behind that’s the problem could you add a raised deck so you have somewhere sunny. Victorian houses generally quite tall and Sun must be hitting it somewhere.

If sitting in the evening sun in your garden is a major source of your life's enjoyment, don't give it up because other people who get enjoyment from different think it's not important.

Speak to an architect and see if it's possible to add a roof terrace in a way that would provide more light?

Your DH's family and friends aren't going to live there so they don't get a vote.

It doesn't really matter what your reason is, if you don't want to live there your DH needs to accept that and you need to look for somewhere you are both happy with.

Your happiness has to be part of the equation, too, OP. And if you require sunshine, then you need a garden that gets sunshine when you're there to enjoy it.

YANBU

Enough to make it worthwhile! Not being able to sit out and feel the sun on my face would be very depressing. It's precisely the fact that we have long grey winters that having a sunny garden in the spring/summer is important (to me).

I bought my home in the winter and went and sat outside with a compass before I would even view. Would have compromised on anything but a sunny garden. I live outside in summer, even angle my tv so I can sit out watching sports events. Also have a large parasol for those who need it. Don’t compromise, you will regret it every sunny evening and it’s such a boon for mental health.

I am with you OP. Just say no.

we have a sun trap garden and I will never move.

in fact we bought it 100% because of the evening sun

Can we swap? My garden gets full sun all day. I hate it!

completely understand. I love a glass of wine or pimms in the garden on a sunny evening!

I think if having sun in the garden in the evening is important to you then stick to your guns. Your needs are just as valid as your DHs.

May to September if it isn't raining

Same! I'm outside and barefoot for as much of the year as is possible. I wouldn't want a dark, cool garden in the UK.

My garden is south west facing and gets sun almost all day but then at 6pm at the latest the sun disappears behind some massive trees that are in the grounds of another large property. That’s the height of summer, 6pm and it’s gone. I really hate it as well, because it’s not a hot climate then when the sun goes then it’s too chilly to sit out and eat in the evening. If I moved that would be a factor and also a dealbreaker in a next house.

We were in the same position, and it was our only reason for moving.

People thought we were nuts, but it makes a huge difference on how we live.

I've lived in the same house for 28 years now, and I have absolutely no idea what time the garden loses the sun, I've never noticed!

YANBU OP. We have a North East facing garden so we just have a small patch of sun in the evening which goes about 19:00 this time of year. We have sun in the front garden but cannot bring ourselves to sit out in the front.

We are currently starting to look at moving house, and not being able to sit out in the late afternoon / evening would be a deal breaker for me. Thankfully DH is on the same page.

What is this sun that you talk about.

I've spent most of the day in the sun.

Me too. Sat in it now watching ds3 (play with the hose) water the pots.

Thanks all. I'm currently sat in fleeting sun, but when it comes out from the clouds it is glorious.

To those saying we don't have much sun, I sit out as much as I can , we have a awning that goes up when it rains in the summer and but in the winter if the sun is out I still sit out wrapped up.

I'm glad I've posted it has cemented that it is a valid reason, I've asked what DH doesn't want to compromise on (workshop) and told him I wouldn't make him compromise on that, think he gets it a bit more. It is my greatest pleasure.