Garden facing direction

3orangekissesfromkazan · 2021-04-16T08:34:19+00:00

Just wondering what people's thoughts are on the best aspect for a garden? I know South sees the most sun through the day, but is it overwhelming?

MaryIsA · 16/04/2021 09:45

I’ve had south west, west and north east. And now pretty much due south.

By far the best for gardening, sitting out in the day in the summer, and in the evening was the west facing one. It rarely got too hot to sit in. And there were shady spots for plants.

Current south one, it gets too hot in sumner and plants bake.

I’m creating shade, using climbers, a tree, a pergola....but it gets very very hot. I’m having to get used to it in terms of planting and care, a lot of watering...so starting to move to drought resistant plants.

But any garden, unless it’s tiny, will have different aspects in the day. And shady spots and bright spots.

Personally I’d never go for a short northerly or easterly garden though, I’m in the NW and it was really hard to make anything nice of it.

sunshinesupermum · 16/04/2021 09:48

I agree - west facing was best in all the gardens I've had. Unless you are certain of shade from trees in a southfacing garden it would be no from me. I've had two north facing gardens too but they were both large and not overlooked so got lots of light too.

tryingtocatchthewind · 16/04/2021 09:58

Agree with others it depends on the size, a short north or east would be fairly rubbish. I have a north facing one now and I really like it, the bottom end is in the sun all the time and it means our front room is south facing so lovely and bright.
South west would probably be the dream though

StormzyinaTCup · 16/04/2021 10:04

I much prefer my north facing back garden but it's fairly long so only small section by house is shady during the day (which can be lovely when it's really hot). Im not a fan of the heat so I don't like my south facing front garden, I get too hot and bothered cutting the grass/hedge and trying to keep anything in pots alive is a challenge. My sister had a fully exposed south facing back garden and her dark coloured washing used to fade if left too long on the line.

North works better for me personally (assuming garden is a reasonable size) so certainly wouldn't put me off if house hunting.

mobear · 16/04/2021 10:06

My partner is very particular about gardens and insisted we buy south or west facing. In the end we bought a house with a south-west facing garden and he loves it.

Procrastatron · 16/04/2021 10:44

We have a southeast facing garden and I am very happy with how it has worked out. I can’t tolerate heat and direct sun well but love the early morning sun in summer. By mid afternoon my patio is in shade and I can cope but there is a sun trap at the back of the garden for those that want to bask.
The other thing to consider is how much light the house gets through the day. We are a terrace so it is nice not to have a north facing room in winter.

Fliebel · 16/04/2021 11:04

My favourite of all the gardens I've had over the years was a South West facing garden- nice and sunny, and with lovely evening light. I've also had a south facing garden, and yes it was very sunny, but I actually found it a bit too intense. In fact, some of the plants I put in virtually got cooked! Probably more to do with my ineptitude at picking the right plants for the location. I know lots of people like west facing gardens, but I found the one I had a little frustrating to be honest, I had one side in bright sun and the other in deep shade, and I found it hard to come up with a coherent planting plan. However, I would caveat all of this by saying that the surrounding buildings make a huge difference to how sunny/shady/protected/exposed a garden is- I've also had a north facing garden that did surprisingly well as it was in a fairly open location and wasn't hemmed in with tall buildings.

AndWhat · 16/04/2021 11:18

I used to have a north facing and could only hang washing up to dry very early in the morning.
Now in a west facing where the sun hits the back of the garden early in the morning and by lunchtime we have the sun for the rest of the day. Can dry about 3 loads after each other in the afternoon and sit outside till late.

Changingwiththetimes · 16/04/2021 11:34

West. I face west southwest and I get sun all day until it starts moving off from the back from 4, then til sunset last bit.
But I had a North facing garden once and it was still lovely.
My next is south, but because of surrounding buildings really only gets sun high summer.

Cailleach1 · 16/04/2021 15:37

Last house had a long south facing garden. It was too hot to go out into during the the middle of the day. Only respite was at the end, under a tree. Bedrooms at the back were south facing also, and could get quite hot. I bought some IR reflective film to put on the panes of glass in the windows.

Miljea · 16/04/2021 15:52

My garden is east facing, so the house shades the garden in the evening. I'd love a south facing garden!!

Cocoaone · 16/04/2021 16:00

We have a south to slightly south-west facing garden - it's way too hot in the summer (for us) to be out there long. The house is a new build and well insulated, and the living room is dual aspect and is roasting all summer long. We had to buy a portable air conditioner one year

We're moving to a house with a north facing garden, but the back half gets sun throughout the spring and autumn. Full sun in the summer when it's highest.

shash1982 · 16/04/2021 16:57

Last house had a south facing garden & was too hot, especially with young dc.
Plants also got baked, even the drought resistant ones.
Now we have a large North facing garden and it's perfect.
It pretty much gets the sun all day from March through to October but the back of the house where the kitchen is never gets too hot.

ToryStelling · 16/04/2021 17:02

Depends on your preference and tolerance to sun!

Our last house had a small north east facing garden, and we were on a jam-packed new build estate so the sun was non-existent after around 2pm in the afternoon. It was grim.

We’ve now got a fully south facing garden and I love it. So sunny and warm in the summer, but we have houses around us so half of it is in shade after 4pm-ish if we want to stay out of the heat. We get the sun right in the bottom corner until 8pm thought which is lovely.

If you’re house hunting, my advice would be to try and having viewings at a couple of different times to see where the sun hits. Your surroundings and the length/width of the garden play a huge part in how sunny it is.

There are houses near us with south/west facing gardens, but they’re tiny and very overlooked so still won’t get any sun for most of the day.

readytosell · 16/04/2021 19:09

I have a true south facing garden. Never again.

Conservatory is always scolding hot in summer, even with shades and doors open. Plants wilt even with double watering during the day. Year before last with the really hot summer the grass was dead within about 2 days.

Next time will be looking for something a bit more offset!

Roodicus21 · 16/04/2021 19:48

Our last house had a south facing garden and it was baking- but I love the sun and the heat. We had an extension built and the back of the house was far too hot in the summer. My dc and dh hated it. We now have a north facing garden (not by choice but we loved the house). This is our first spring in it and we're really pleased with the amount of sun it gets already. We've just landscaped it and created a big decking area at the back, which gets the sun for a big church of the day as the garden is 40m long. Like others have said it's not just direction but other things such as houses/ trees that will block your sun.

OUB1974 · 16/04/2021 19:56

Our last house had a north west facing garden. It was lovely - there was plenty of sun but also shady areas to put the paddling pool or sit on hot days. Our new house is also north west - it is a very long garden and I'm hoping it will be similar. Would hate a south facing garden with no shade on hot days!

beginningoftheend · 16/04/2021 20:00

Yes full south can be too hot. In reality the direction it 'faces' is complicated - my garden faces north in estate agent speak but has little obstructing from the west and nothing on more than half of the south side - so we have a mix of deep shade, partial shade and full sun.

You can have a south-facing garden with high neighbouring trees/buildings and so lots of shade at that end.

What you want, IMO, is at least one good sized patch with partial sun at least so you have a really good choice of plants.

Evecob · 16/04/2021 20:23

im surprised how many are saying they DONT like a south facing garden! it's definitely a priority for a lot of people, and while it can be too hot, at least you have the option of putting up an umbrella or something to shade yourself.. its better than having no sun at all!

currently have a north easterly facing garden and its cold and shady... looking forward to a south facing garden for sure!

readytosell · 16/04/2021 21:40

@Evecob

im surprised how many are saying they DONT like a south facing garden! it's definitely a priority for a lot of people, and while it can be too hot, at least you have the option of putting up an umbrella or something to shade yourself.. its better than having no sun at all!

currently have a north easterly facing garden and its cold and shady... looking forward to a south facing garden for sure!

I also thought the same thing... until I actually had one

OverByYer · 16/04/2021 21:45

Mine is North facing. We get the sun in our top right hand corner until sunset. My kitchen is at th rear of the house and stay lovely and cool all day. We have a bench at the front of our house if we want to sit in the sun but to be honest I find it too hot.
My parents have a south facing garden and some days it’s unbearable

MarshaBradyo · 16/04/2021 21:47

We have west facing and I love it

Not only for the garden but it means the house gets good morning sun on one side too

sauvignonblue · 16/04/2021 22:12

Mine is west by southwest and I absolutely love it. But I love the sun and love sitting out in the evenings. The back of the house gets warm, which is amazing for 8 months of the year and bad for a couple of months.

We still get plenty of shade further down the garden under trees.

ChristmasTreeInJune · 16/04/2021 22:55

South-facing and love it. Was high on my list as I love the sun. It’s long and narrow and has some trees so I can still find some shade most times. It does need watering in the evening on hot days but I haven’t had any problems with plants, quite the opposite - nearly everything grows well.

Miljea · 16/04/2021 23:03

How interesting!

I wonder how many responses are knee-jerk from 'the last couple of years', where I can only say 'England' has enjoyed two lovely summers.

I have been back in England for 20 years, now. The summers (by which I mean 'school summer holidays' as that's what matters to so many Mumsnetters- ) got worse and worse. Summer 2011? 2012? It rained throughout August. Drove us to villas in Spain.

I am happy that we've had a couple of nice summers! But anyone buying a house, or not, on the basis that south facing gardens are BAD because the sun shines on it all day- have extremely short memories..... it has done so for 2, maybe three summers.

For the other 'summers' north facing has been a quagmire.