To have a garden but a longer commute, is it worth it?

[PennyLany]

Buying a house with a garden will add an extra 25-30 min to our commute (each way) whereas staying where we live now (a flat without a garden) will be easier logistics-wise.
I'd love to have our own outside space and often long for a garden but I don't yet know whereas changing our commute will be worth it for that.
We also have a DC so it's not just the commute itself but also drop off and pick up etc.
Are we going to regret it or will it be worth it in the end?

Having some outdoor space improves your mh making the commute bearable ime. Never gardened until Covid.. Would never have made it through without it... Not an exaggeration.

We moved further out for a house with garden. It was worth it for us because:

• The commute is straightforward (single train) and you could usually get a seat (post COVID we always get a seat).
• We don't have to commute every day
• We tend to stay localish at the weekend, rather than also commuting in for leisure
• It is much easier to have the children playing outside where you can pop in and out, supervise whilst cooking dinner etc

Neither option keep looking… can you find something with a small garden, patio, balcony, garden flat etc etc…. No point having a garden if you never use it as you have spent so much time commuting

Only you can answer that

I couldn't contemplate not having a garden, but I can work from home fairly flexibly, my commute is a 20 minute walk and I can enjoy it in the summer. And I love gardening.

If you are leaving at, say, 6.30am and not getting home till 7.30 pm...apart from the weekends when are you going to enjoy it?

I'd go stir crazy without a garden and have never lived anywhere without one, but only you can decide whether the extra hassle is worth it.

An extra 50 - 60 minutes a day is a LOT. I don't think it would be worth it for me. Can you use that commuting time saved to walk to a nearby park?

Well I have never had a garden but have been dreaming of one for a long time.
I commune 3 days a week and my current commute is 50 min door to door whereas from the other location it would be more likely 1 hr and 15/20 min

Personally, yes. Living in a flat drove me crazy. I became depressed and claustrophobic.

Now I live 60 miles from London, have a local job and a large garden and am happy & sane.

I think it depends if you are a natural city dweller. I am not.

@Meadowfinch my job is and always will be in London and yes I grew up in a city and have never lived rurally (nor want to), but I'd like to have a small outdoor space, even just a small patio

What do you want a garden for? We grow veggies and flowers, cut the lawn, it's always growing. Sit and listen to the birds. Get annoyed at the neighbours barking dog and screaming kids, lol.
What I mean is what are you idealising about having a garden?
I've never lived anywhere town or country, without one, I can't imagine liking that. :)
I can't imagine summer stuck in a flat, easier in winter. Would I do a longer commute, are you driving or by publice transport? If the latter then probably.

Another option - find a community garden, city farm etc and volunteer there, bring your DC along. Or get/share an allotment.

I thoroughly value the benefit of green space but I also absolutely loathe the idea of commuting. Is spending a few hours a week in your own green space worth spending over an hour a day commuting? With less time with child? You might find your child is uninterested in the garden and would rather spend time with you. Just.. go to the park more often?

It was worth it for us, that’s why we moved. But it made my DH commute one hour and mine went from 15 to 40 mins, so not too bad. A garden turned out to be pretty much top of our list when we looked around places - we compromised on a driveway and style of house, plus size of house - big enough but not generous. It’s all v personal.

Personally I find that over an hour is the 'tipping point' at which a commute becomes a bit much, especially by train.

There's something psychologically pleasing about leaving work at 5.30pm and knowing that you will be home before 6.30pm.

I work flexible times so I can leave the office early to make the pick up so wouldn't technically be home at 7pm when going to London but still, a longer journey overall.

To answer the question "what do you want a garden for": I imagine it must be delightful to be able to step out in my own private outdoor space in the spring summer months, have a cup of coffee outside or a dinner al fresco as a family. Plant some flowers and herbs and watch DD play outside. Being close to a park or a community garden isn't the same in this respect.

I go for a flat, and skip the extra hour commute a day. But I find commuting exhausting, some people aren't so bothered.

It depends IMO whether you will really enjoy gardening, and whether you will actually spending lots of time in your garden, if you are spending at least 5 more hours a week commuting before you can even get into the garden - will it really feature strongly in your summer evenings and your weekends? Commuting more costs a lot of money too, not only the cost of the commute itself but often leads to higher spending on food and other things. Kitting out the garden can also be expensive.

I would personally go for a flat with it's own outside space, either a balcony or patio, or some grounds for the flats, or near a park, river or lake that you would actually use. Preferably all the above which is what we had in my favourite flat. Playgrounds and softplay indoors if you have kids would be high on my list too, and lots of sporting facilities for kids or if you like sports yourself.

I've lived in a variety of places including flats and houses, rural, town and city, so this is based on my own reality not hypothesis. Sometimes one or other of us was commuting, sometimes not. It depends also on things like how it will effect your work and social life, including 'work social life' and other aspects of your life too.

Just consider the reality before you make the move, is my advice, rather than the dream. There's a reason that people are moving back into cities post-pandemic, it hasn't always worked for people and it's not just about WFH versus back to the office.

@TeenyTinyCrocodile thank you, a lot to think about. I didn't know about the trend of people moving back to the cities, I thought outside space and WFH was still very much the norm

If you only commute 3x per week then I'd say go for the garden. When I went through a stressful period of work one summer, literally the only thing that kept me sane was coming home and sitting in my peaceful garden with a glass of wine! Honestly, if I'd had to go home and be cooped up in a flat i would have got really depressed.

Yes there are parks but it's not the same as having your own space. I live in my garden in the summer. I eat there, I sit and read, I potter around. Usually come in at bed time. I couldn't be without it.

I would tolerate the 3 day a week commute for a garden.

I live rurally and can't imagine living in a flat with no outside space. I'd feel like I was in prison, to be frank. I spend a lot of time in my garden, unless it's actually pissing it down with rain. I'd hate to not have one.

Only you know for sure - but I would go garden every time
The thought of having no outside space at all makes me feel awful

Just 5-10 minutes with a coffee or glass of wine helps and I eat outside whenever I can.

Much easier with kids too

Can you use your commute time for something useful? Either doing some work so less to do in the office or really taking time for you - reading, listening to music (with headphones!) catching up on messaging friends etc.

The garden is worth it. Your priorities may change over time but you will always want some outdoor space. It's so lovely to be able to get outside when you have a home

I’m actually considering doing the reverse ina couple years time. I’m sick of the commute (about 1hr15) and am stating to think about giving up my big house and garden for something smaller (very likely a flat cos of prices) much nearer London

nothing set in stone yet.. just can’t imagine the next 22 years doing this commute

Yeah, it is very pleasant indeed. :) It can be very creative too if you're that way inclined, there are some fabulous garden designs around. As is often said another room in your house, an outside room.
And if people are moving back to cities (which I've also read and less WFH - people realising they're not as much bumpkin as they thought!?) then you should be able to cash in on your flat and get a good deal on a place with a garden? :D
We had our garden redone last year and every time I look out it makes me happy, well until I see all the weeds growing and that next doors cat has crapped on the veggie beds!!! ;)

I hope it will not happen again in our lifetime but what if there was another situation where we had to stay at home for longer periods of time?

Would you value you a garden more then? If yes I'd move.

Our garden was a joy during lockdown. I have pictures of the DC on loungers outside doing their school work. Somehow it made it bearable.

I worried about people with no outside space.