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Original poster

Just found out my garden is North facing!

51 replies

Lookingforadvice123 · 18/01/2015 18:00

DH and I bought a house late last year, which we had viewed in August - sale took a while. When viewing the estate agent told us the back garden was South west facing - I could kick myself for taking her word for it now, but I was a naive first time buyer. The back garden has had literally no sun in the approx 6 weeks since we've lived here, so I downloaded a compass app and actually checked the aspect myself today - turns out it's North facing!

I know this is very much a first world problem but I'm really upset/disappointed, this is our first house after living in flats for years, and having a south/South west/South East facing garden was really important to me - to be honest I don't know if we would've bought the house had the EA told the truth at our first viewing.

The house is a semi but with other houses close by, and the back garden has another garden behind it. The garden is medium size I would say. Does anyone know whether it will get any sun in summer? The front of the house (inc master bedroom) gets a lot of sun even now in winter so I can imagine this will be horrible in the summer too! Feel like we made a mistake buying it.

OP posts:
WeAllHaveWings · 18/01/2015 19:57

Our garden is wide and short, a longer garden would be much better.

bluebump · 18/01/2015 19:58

My garden is NE facing, it never even occurred to me to check it would get sun when we bought it - I was so used to living in sunny gardens at my parents I didn't realise they always took a compass when buying a house to make sure it was south facing, I just thought all gardens got sun!

My garden does get sun in the summer, and my lounge stays in the shade which actually is quite nice. My neighbours opposite find it too hot in their houses in the summer and quite often shut their lounge blinds/curtains to keep the sun out - i'd rather have that problem!

If I ever buy another house i'll definitely be checking the direction of the garden to guarantee more sun.

Original poster
Lookingforadvice123 · 18/01/2015 20:05

At least it's not just me! It was one of my questions which I asked every estate agent and this one actually looked at something on her phone (thought it was some sort of compass app) so was I naive to think that the bitch wouldn't actually lie to me?!

Luckily it won't affect the other rooms too much, the living room is dual aspect so windows get both North and South facing. The kitchen and dining room are at the back so face North but I wouldn't want my kitchen to get too hot. Our master bedroom is at the front so will be boiling in the summer, a fan will be a must.

OP posts:
gloriafloria · 18/01/2015 20:06

I'm sure you are unnecessarily worrying yourself and you'll find come spring summer you'll have a sunny garden. You say your house is currently sunny in the front morning and early afternoon. That sounds like ours. Our front faces East so bright early sunshine in the morning at the front and then from about midday onwards it's high up in the sky and basking our garden till sunset.

specialsubject · 18/01/2015 20:14

rest assured rain does not wash away moss and algae - witness the state of the north facing bits of my garden!

wait and see.

Marmitelover55 · 18/01/2015 20:31

Our garden faces norh east and there is no sun in it at this time of year. Come summer time though, we have sun all morning on our patio and then all afternoon in the rest of the garden and into the early evening on the raised deck that we have built in the bottom corner of our garden. It's lovely. Fingers crossed yours will be too come summertime Smile

MaryShelley · 18/01/2015 20:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hiccupgirl · 18/01/2015 20:56

I wouldn't stress too much about it as I bet you'll find in the summer that you get sun at the bottom of the garden and you will have a lovely shady bit to sit in. We rented a house with a north facing back garden - it was only about 30 foot long and it still got sun at the bottom at the middle of the day and then more as the sun came round in the evening. No sun in the winter but even south facing gardens don't get loads of sun this time of year.

My current house has a west facing garden and no shade on the south side...it sounds great but in the middle of the summer the entire garden is in the sun by 10am till it sets and it is just too hot. Next time I will be looking for either an east facing garden or one with things to cast shade.

SquidgyMummy · 19/01/2015 07:05

We have a north facing garden. We actually almost didn't buy it because of it. Now we are really grateful for the shade in the summer. We do have a sunny side to sit in too, but honestly I am glad of the north side, which does get bits of sun - the east side in the morning and the west in the afternoon.
We are also going to plant a formal garden with gravel and box hedging - you could do that nearer the house and have grass / sun traop nearer the end.

VivaLeBeaver · 19/01/2015 07:44

She might not have lied to you, she just might not have had a clue how to read a compass. Grin

My garden is east facing and some of it is in sun and some in shade pretty much all day. The end of it is in shade in the morning, the right hand side is in shade in the morning. Then midday it's pretty much all in sun apart from a strip in the right next to the conifer hedge.

Then in late afternoon the bit nearest the house is in shade and this extends throughout the evening as the sun gets lower.

VivaLeBeaver · 19/01/2015 07:45

Oh and it never occurred to me to even think about which way the garden faced so at least you asked!

minceypie · 19/01/2015 11:03

Our courtyard garden is north-west facing and we get sun until 4pm every day in high summer (SE of England).

We also have lovely sunshine in the morning and often breakfast outside at the weekend. I don't think that wouldn't be the case with a south facing garden.

Fugacity · 19/01/2015 11:46

We have a North facing back garden. I really like that the patio is in shade during most of the day, yet gets morning and evening sun.

If we want sun, we walk a few metres out of the shadow of the house.

Original poster
Lookingforadvice123 · 19/01/2015 22:20

Thanks everyone for your replies good to hear from a range of garden owners! Just had a very helpful text from the previous owner - who said that almost all of the garden gets sun, the rear windows (ie kitchen and dining room) don't but the rest of the garden does. So that's great news! Means we'll just have to put a patio at the rear end of the garden rather than using the one we already have.

OP posts:
shovetheholly · 20/01/2015 15:50

Honestly, honestly OP, I wouldn't stress too much.

I also have a north-facing garden by accident (DH bought the house when single, I moved in later) and it's lovely. It does get some sun in the summer, and I can sit out there quite happily. Yes, parts are shaded, but I have planted the most lovely shade-tolerant plants in those areas (and they come in all shapes and sizes - some with beautiful foliage, some with wonderful flowers), and it looks beautiful. You can still make it an amazing space! Just do some research on Pinterest and Houzz.

You can get blinds for the front windows if the sun is too overpowering in summer.

DeliciousMonster · 20/01/2015 16:00

OP - it might face north but still be south facing.

Here is a little doodle to explain.

Just found out my garden is North facing!
christinarossetti · 20/01/2015 16:00

You will get sun in summer, although not much right up to the house. You might not want to be able to use your patio quite as much as you hoped, but it is nice on a hot day to have shade.

My friend has a north facing garden and in the summer it's a riot of flowers, so obviously gets plenty of sun. Hers is small-medium by London standards, so a postage stamp anywhere else.

She's got a bench in her front garden and her and her family often sit there to soak up the sun and watch the world go by.

Original poster
Lookingforadvice123 · 20/01/2015 20:00

Deliciousmonster thanks so much for the doodle! It's great, not sure I 100% follow it...my house is most similar to the second picture, the garden is slightly lower than the house...not much, but the road is on a bit of a hill/slope I guess.

OP posts:
DeliciousMonster · 20/01/2015 20:03

The difference is, where is the south in respect to the slope. If you see the S - that is South...the N is North. So if you have a slope going down from south to north then you won't get much sun at all.

North facing gardens are not those that themselves are on the North side of a house, but the aspect [slope] faces north.

NimpyWWindowmash · 20/01/2015 20:04

But it is surely unusual for someone not to know which way is North or South?

Rest assured it is rarely to hot in England, our bedroom gets the sun and it's fine (just open window and close curtains during hottest time)

Right now I can only dream of heat. And if heat comes, your garden will eb nice and cool? Not everybody likes sitting n the sun, I find these days a lot of people worry about sunburn and sun damage. I have had to supply guests with hats, and have on occasion sat inside instead of outside in my sweltering south facing garden.

I hope you don't find it too much of an issue. Good luck.

hollyisalovelyname · 20/01/2015 20:19

For me it would be a deal breaker.
South West would be my favourite back garden. Afternoon and late evening sun.
We had an east facing back garden - it was awful.
I always had a compass with me house hunting.

Original poster
Lookingforadvice123 · 20/01/2015 22:00

Hmm well mine is more similar to the one that you say wouldn't get any sun...but according to the old owner almost all of the garden gets sun except for the back room windows. I love the sun I live for it! We've had amazing summers the last two years and it's been utter shite not having a garden.

I can't believe people DO know which way is South/North without a compass!

OP posts:
Original poster
Lookingforadvice123 · 20/01/2015 22:03

Actually I don't know what I'm talking about - just looked at my garden and it's basically flat, so neither sloping towards or away from the north/South.

OP posts:
camtt · 20/01/2015 22:16

I have a north facing, downward sloping garden and have plenty of sun in spring and summer. We have seating areas at the top and the bottom as the sun will be at the top earlier in the day and at the bottom later. I also had no idea it was north facing till after we moved, it's not something I would instinctively know and hadn't thought about it so wasn't on a list of questions to ask - it does have a beautiful view, north facing or not!

SolomanDaisy · 20/01/2015 22:29

If you viewed in August, I think you'd have noticed if the garden was completely in shade. You may not remember the sun now, but if it wasn't there you would have noticed at the time and been put off. So I'd guess it does get the sun. Unless you viewed in the rain.