To wonder why this is 'common'?

[Ellbee83]

I live in an end-terrace house, with a small front yard/garden which I've made as nice as I can with plants, garden furniture, a few fairy lights.
It's south-facing so for (literally!) a few months of the year when the weather allows, if I'm at home and not busy, it's lovely to sit out in the morning with a coffee, or in the evening with a book & glass of wine.
It's genuinely one of my simple pleasures, it's nice to watch the world go by, smile at passers-by, idly chat with the neighbours if they're around but mostly 100% minding my own business and enjoying my own outdoor space.

Yesterday evening, my neighbour (72f) from 3 doors down went past, walking her dogs. She stopped to chat as we often do - the weather, how the flowers are doing, that sort of thing, nothing major! She then went on to tell me how she wouldn't dream of sitting out in her front garden as she'd been taught it was 'common'. I laughed in surprise and said 'Oh, am I being common?' to which she laughingly agreed I was!

Now, tbh, I found it waaaay more common that she'd be so rude but I'm curious - is sitting out in the sun, in your own front garden seen as 'common'?
Not too bothered either way and I'll carry on doing it but I've restricted myself to the back garden today 🫤

Interested to hear opinions!

Where I live everyone sits outside on the frontage. We have a chat with the neighbours or anyone else going by. I find it friendly and don't care if it's thought to be common.

Sounds like the kind of thing my mum would say. Years ago her nickname was Hyacinth Bucket.

Ahh, thank you everyone for your replies, some have really made me laugh!
I'm tempted to get in my best string vest, spark up and drag the sofa outside now...

I didn't take it to heart as such, and I accept she likely wasn't being intentionally rude, but I was a bit surprised. A bit like if my neighbour was sitting in his car and I declared that I wouldn't dream of driving a Ford Mondeo, or whatever.

But I'd honestly never heard of this before - I grew up on a farm in Ireland so things being common or otherwise just wasn't a thing!

Yes a lot of people do still view it as 'common' ime

Is it a regional thing? I’m in the SE and I’ve never seen someone sitting in their front garden. I’ll admit I’d feel a bit odd and exposed doing so. But it sounds like it might be your only outside space, so why not?

Don’t worry, calling things common was pretty much something working class people did to try and elevate themselves above others due to class anxiety. The upper classes don’t even have front gardens.

Some people are like that though they just don't think before they speak and are overly opinionated. You say you wouldn't comment on someone's car like that and most people wouldn't but there is still a lot who would.

The ridiculousness never ends.
Meanwhile, people in other places have verandahs on the front and back of houses and enjoy sitting out front, greeting passers-by or just watching the world go by.

Yes, this is what I thought too OP.. In fact I think it’s a bit mean of you to laugh along with her and then slag her off.

Our old house was on a green so was very common (haha) to sit out the front during the late afternoon/evening when the sun was out. This house has a shit outlook due to next doors conifer, I don't imagine I'll sit out there much except from looking after my plants.

I'm quite happy to be common as muck as long as I'm content, which I am 100% in the garden

When I was a child, someone sitting in their front garden was likely to be surrounded by the contents of their house due to having been evicted from their council house. People would walk or drive past to rubberneck and gossip. Now, it's quite common, as in frequent, to see people sitting out at the front of their houses, and even on the pavement if their front door opens directly on to the street, and it makes a lot of sense. They might have a tiny back yard with all their bins in it, and it means that people walking past will stop for a chat.

Nah I think it’s a lovely thing to do. Bit like the Americans sitting out on their front porches! It’s just her age group I think as well.

@Ellbee83SETTEE Hun, it’s a settee you drag outside. @NoArmaniNoPunani’s reference to Hyacinth Bucket has got me thinking - why not ask her if she has room for a pony in her front garden?

I follow the sun so sit in the back garden until lunchtime and sit in the front garden afternoon through to early evening. I don't have any houses opposite me, but don't care if it's perceived as common. Life is for living.

We went on holiday to Tennessee recently and I was so jealous of the porch culture! I’d love to build a porch at the front of my house with some rocking chairs! It’s quite a big thing culturally in many states, southern especially. I guess their homes are often more spread out than a lot of ours. It’s quite a ‘public’ thing to do in many British homes.

Sounds like a Hyacinth Bucket type. Ignore and enjoy your garden.

I was brought up that it was ‘common’ didn’t stop my Great Grandad doing it in summer 🤣

I couldn’t give a a toss what people do in their front garden as long as they aren’t burning tyres and/or practising naturism.

It makes perfect sense to sit out the front if it is south facing as your back garden must be north facing so will get little sun. Just smile sweetly and say something along the lines of I will find some way of directing the sun towards my back garden but in the meantime I will sit out the front scoring everyone for their manners as they go past! (Well maybe leave out the last bit but you will get much greater sun at the front so it makes perfect sense!!)

Theres a woman on insta with a trampoline on her front garden. Now thats common

So would I, I've never been to america but when I see it in films I always think how nice would that be

I think it is but who cares?* There are worse things in the world and if it makes you happy then carry on. 😊

• unless you're playing loud music, getting drunk and abusing passer bys.

It is common. Is that bad?

I'm as common as muck.

Complete with a selection of brown teeth and missing teeth to add to that description!

I’ve heard this too but when the sun moves round the front and I’m enjoying it I move my table and chair out there, don’t care! Also it’s a great place to people watch and I’ve had some chats I wouldn’t have had if I was in the back.

My mum used to say the only people who are common are those who use the word common to describe others.

Enjoy your garden in the sunshine, it sounds lovely