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Original poster

NE facing garden - yes or no?

28 replies

lolacola1977 · 11/11/2015 20:21

We have found a house which ticks all the boxes, except the garden faces NE. My question is - is there anyone out there with similar who could give me an indication of the sun situation? It is 85ft long and about 40ft wide and isn't overlooked (other than by houses to the left and to the right of the one we have found if that makes sense)...ie nothing at the back of the garden except another garden. The main reason we are moving is for a decent garden, so I would hate to move and then find it got zero sunshine - it's obviously the wrong time of year to go and check it out at different times of the day....thanks!

OP posts:
MilkTwoSugarsThanks · 11/11/2015 20:23

Honestly? I'd say no. I had a lovely long NE facing garden once and only the bottom 20' got any sun in the winter months.

HidingFromDD · 11/11/2015 20:28

I have a NE garden and it's fine. Get sun on the back of the house and patio in the morning, then fills the rest of the garden for most of the day (it's only around 35' long. Only downside is that we lose it in the evening around 7ish but would have thought you'd get a lot if the garden is 85' long. Essentially the bottom half of your garden is the same as the one that backs on to ours, which is south facing Grin

DelphiniumBlue · 11/11/2015 20:29

I have one of those. Its fine in summer, great when it's really hot because there's always shade. However, sun is at the far end of the garden in the afternoon/ evening, not near the house. From late September/ early October the sun has gone from the garden by mid afternoon. Sun is near the house in the mornings . if you are a morning person its fine. If you like a glass of wine in the evening sun, not so great, unless you are happy to be at the bottom of the garden.

Original poster
lolacola1977 · 11/11/2015 20:32

Thank you, that's what I thought - what about in the summer, as I'm not so fussed about it in the winter.

OP posts:
Palomb · 11/11/2015 20:33

I wouldn't if you enjoy gardening. If you're the kind of person that isn't really interested I your outside space then It'd be find but if you're a gardener it'd be super depressing.

My parents house is north facing and is absolutely miserable in winter, it is considerably shorter than 85ft though.

goshhhhhh · 11/11/2015 20:36

I have a ne facing garden with lots of trees. I enjoy gardening - it's fine - just need to plant appropriately.

Original poster
lolacola1977 · 11/11/2015 20:41

Thanks, sorry, replied too early / late ?! That is really helpful...It also has a front garden which would obviously get the sun, so in theory we could play out there if we were desperate for the sun. I will ask the people living there as well as it's rented at the moment - hopefully they would be honest about it.

OP posts:
Smellyoulateralligator · 11/11/2015 20:58

Ours in NE facing - too dark. We are perpetually in the shade and it means the kitchen lights stay on pretty much all the time.

Ridingthegravytrain · 11/11/2015 21:03

I didn't buy a perfect house due to ne facing garden. Viewed it in the height of summer and shade was already creeping across the patio at 3.30pm. Dark kitchen and poss living room and basically any room at the back of the house

Marmitelover55 · 11/11/2015 21:07

We have a north east facing garden and it's fine. We get sun in the morning in the kitchen/diner and it's still there til mid afternoon. We have built a raised deck in the bottom right hand corner of the garden and get the sun there from mid-morning til 8pm in the evening in the height of summer.

We don't get much sun in the winter though.

I think a north east facing garden is very different to a north facing one.

MamaDuckling · 11/11/2015 21:08

As marmite has said, we get a lovely sun trap at the bottom right corner of ours, and actually much more of it is in sun for a good chunk of the day. Just the side return right by the house that doesn't get much sun.

LittleMissChangeMyName · 11/11/2015 21:20

We have a 35 ft NE facing garden and it's drenched in the sun all day in the summer. We have a patio at the end for evening sun.
It's bad in early spring as well as autumn when you get warm and sunny days but the sun is quite low as then the garden is shady whilst the neighbours across enjoy the sun. But this may well be different for an 85 ft garden.

jevoudrais · 11/11/2015 21:35

My Mum's house faces East. She gets sun on the back of the house in the morning and it is at the bottom of the (60ft) garden in the afternoon. I don't see the issue as long as you get some sun, which it sounds like everyone with E/NE gardens still does?

Ours faces South West. I don't adore the heat, so I'm hoping I will still be able to find shade whens summer rolls around.

DansonslaCapucine · 11/11/2015 21:44

I have an East facing garden. Slightly NE.

In the summer, it get's the sun until about 6.30pm. Well, the end of the garden does. If it's a nice evening we sit in the front garden, which faces the sea so is much nicer anyway.

Kids happy to play in either garden.

Original poster
lolacola1977 · 11/11/2015 22:00

Thank you all, really helpful, thinking about it, I usually get the kids to play in the shade in our current patio when it's baking hot, so maybe a NE one would suit us better, then can decamp to the end of the garden for a glass of wine in the evening :) love the sound of a garden facing the sea but not sure I can add that to our already long list of requirements!

OP posts:
babydad · 12/11/2015 10:18

We have more of an easterly garden that is about 60 ft long. We get the sun completely covering the garden in summer until about 3pm and then the back half continue to get it until 6-7pm. We will be positioning the decking at the back of the garden to benefit from this.
As other posters have said, you will struggle with darkness in the back rooms. We are going to install as much glass as possible to help out with the darkness.
However, if you have the perfect house other than the garden I wouldn't let it stop you purchasing.

pinechesterdrawers · 12/11/2015 11:43

Based on others replies, I would consider it if its the perfect house. 85ft long and 40 ft wide seems like a good sized garden to have some sun.

I effectively live in a terrace house as our properties are so close together.

We have a 120ft long house by about 25 ft wide. Its SE garden with mature trees in everyones gardens. In summer our sun in the patio by house is gone by 5pm. Very left bottom corner gets it til about 7pm.

LaFlottes · 12/11/2015 12:47

We have a NE garden and it's not that long but we get plenty of sun.

I would go for it! It's only in the winter that you notice it's only the second half of the garden getting the sun, but in spring and summer there is plenty.

Original poster
lolacola1977 · 12/11/2015 17:57

Went and had a look with a compass (!) I think it's more like East but slightly North, if that makes sense...I am still torn...but wonder if the perfect house does actually exist!

OP posts:
SharonBotts · 12/11/2015 18:44

What are the differences between a North-facing garden and a NorthEast-facing one? Which is better/worse?

Mishaps · 12/11/2015 18:45

Definitely No! I have always taken a compass with me when looking at property and this would be a No No.

VulcanWoman · 12/11/2015 18:51

Nice to be able to pick and choose over garden position.

Original poster
lolacola1977 · 12/11/2015 18:54

I think N is worse because NE gets some morning sun, but I'm not 100% sure as I wonder if N gets more evening sun?

OP posts:
Palomb · 12/11/2015 19:08

Why the dig Vulcan?

Playdoughcaterpillar · 12/11/2015 20:55

Not probably not again, have got one now. But maybe if it is very big would be OK.

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