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Original poster

House is perfect but has an east facing garden

38 replies

NavyNails2 · 16/11/2021 16:43

After months of looking we finally viewed a house today that we love, the inside is pretty much perfect. Only problem is the garden, it's smaller than I'd really like but could compromise on this, but it's east facing. We spend a lot of time in the garden during the summer with the kids and I'm trying to be realistic and not let the great house cloud my judgement. The garden isn't long enough to have a sunny part in the evening. Anyone not regretted their east facing garden?

OP posts:
theemmadilemma · 16/11/2021 16:46

Ahh I was coming to say I love our East facing garden. But it's long. Very long, so we can move up it to get the sun. I would miss it if we couldn't, we'd be out of the sun pretty early.

BlessedBeTheFruitCake · 16/11/2021 16:49

I have an east facing garden after previously having a south facing and tbh I really don’t like it. We can never sit out late afternoon or evening because the sun is all gone. If we have a family bbq we have to have it early in the afternoon while the garden is warm and sunny.
If everything else Is perfect it might not be a deal breaker for you, depending on when you like to use your garden.

lentilsforever · 16/11/2021 16:51

I wouldn’t it

I’m in firmly south facing now and realise what I’ve missed out on in previous places

mrsrobin · 16/11/2021 16:55

I wouldn't either - I might consider it if it was very long, but otherwise no. I would be constantly miserable without any sun available except in the morning for a short while!
I am south facing the same as Lentils - I love it!

lentilsforever · 16/11/2021 17:04

@mrsrobin

I wouldn't either - I might consider it if it was very long, but otherwise no. I would be constantly miserable without any sun available except in the morning for a short while! I am south facing the same as Lentils - I love it!
Isn’t it bliss? Sunlight pours in throughout summer
Mushrooms0up · 16/11/2021 17:08

Where do you live? I’m in the NW and won’t let a garden dictate my choices, as we only get a few weeks of sun anyway!

KonTikki · 16/11/2021 17:08

East facing rear garden, West facing front garden.
At 2pm we move from rear to front.
Couldn't stand it otherwise.

Original poster
NavyNails2 · 16/11/2021 17:18

Thank you for all the replies, you've confirmed what I already knew but didn't want to believe! I was getting caught up in the excitement of the house, but the garden direction is so important to us and your relies have just reminded me why. The search continues!

OP posts:
Sprig1 · 16/11/2021 17:20

It's sad but don't do it. The right house is out there.

Nyfluff · 16/11/2021 17:26

Our flowers, trees and plants grow so well in our East facing garden. It gets lots of lovely sun till about 11am, perfect to eat breakfast/coffee and a bit of gardening in summer before it gets too hot. It also gets sun peaking over before sunset. The bulbs, roses, peonies, veg and salad, hollyhocks etc do very well. I prefer it to my west facing garden which has hot sun from 2pm-evening. Our east garden is the nicest.

Flaunch · 16/11/2021 17:29

I have an east facing garden and love my house but I wouldn’t buy it again. I’d love a sun with sun in the evening… and sunsets!

Nanalisa60 · 16/11/2021 17:30

I had a east facing house , I loved the house but hated the fact that there was no sun in the back garden after about 11am. House I’m in now is a south west facing garden , it’s just fantastic in the summer sun until it sets.

TuftyMarmoset · 16/11/2021 17:32

We have an east facing garden and it’s not very long but it’s not like it’s dark all the time, it still gets the sun! I like sitting out for breakfast and lunch and being able to get the washing dried early in the day. Wouldn’t put me off at all.

gogohm · 16/11/2021 17:41

Mine is east facing but 80m long so there's a bottom patio for evening sun

Xfox · 16/11/2021 18:15

North East facing, and I love it for the morning sun. But it is a long garden, so can find a sunny spot the other end til latish on.

Bathshebahardy · 16/11/2021 19:09

If you are in London or the south east, most summers are so hot that it would be a relief to have an east instead of south facing garden. It tends to be too hot to sit in a south facing garden in the summer.

TizerorFizz · 16/11/2021 19:29

A garden doesn’t just face one way. Most have three “faces”. So I’m assuming the sun won’t be high enough to clear the houses when it’s in the south at the height of summer? It will. We get a lot of sun when it’s high in the sky!

BestZebbie · 17/11/2021 00:47

East facing, with enough sun to grow veg, flowers, grass and trees, and dry washing. Not much of the middle is in direct sun later in the day, but it isn't a solar eclipse....it is still fine to sit out, garden or play in the afternoon in summer.

AlwaysLatte · 17/11/2021 01:05

I think if our garden only faced east it would probably be a deal breaker. The East side of our garden is great for sitting at for breakfast but we usually sit at the south facing part at other times.

CellophaneFlower · 17/11/2021 06:13

@TizerorFizz

A garden doesn’t just face one way. Most have three “faces”. So I’m assuming the sun won’t be high enough to clear the houses when it’s in the south at the height of summer? It will. We get a lot of sun when it’s high in the sky!
OP said it's a small garden. Even in the height of summer it's likely the sun will be gone by lunchtime. Plus a lot of people like to enjoy their garden throughout the year. I can happily sit in mine in the early spring sunshine (south). I'd be freezing in the shade.

OP I think you've made the right choice. I discounted so many lovely houses due to garden orientation, people thought I was mad! I'm so glad I did though... never underestimate the power the sun has on your mood, it's so uplifting Smile

Justcannotbearsed · 17/11/2021 06:39

North east facing front, lovely in the morning, sit out there for breakfast. And in height of summer it’s lovely to sit in in the cool. Our back south facing garden was out of action all year due to builders. And just gardening in the front in the summer was fine. Stuff grows well, it’s pleasant in the evening.

So for gardening it’s good.

For sitting having a bbq not in height of summer I’ve missed the south west facing back garden and the last of the light it gets.

Next house will have south facing longer garden with view….

Onandoff · 17/11/2021 06:41

It depends how many buildings are around to cast shadow. Ours is east facing and not overlooked. We have lots of sun from sunrise until mid afternoon which suits us as early risers. Plants grow well and aren’t scorched. We can move down the garden if still want to sit in the sun. The west facing front is way too hot (SE England). Buying this house was a rare opportunity though so the situation of the garden was relatively unimportant.

Twizbe · 17/11/2021 06:53

Our garden faces east.

Early this year we put in big big sliding doors to the garden and discovered that east facing is amazing!

We get the most beautiful view of the sunrise. We can enjoy the morning sun before it gets too hot. The big windows are shaded during the hottest parts of the day so with them open our house was so gorgeously cool during a really hot day.

Ok we can't lay out until the cows come home but there are parks for that.

521Jeanie · 17/11/2021 07:01

It so much depends on the surroundings. Ours faces south / south west so should be perfect but trees and a high wall block a lot of sun during the day and by the evening, my neighbours house is in the way of any sun.

mummyh2016 · 17/11/2021 07:06

If it's a deal breaker don't do it. Ours is east facing and in the height of summer we have no sun by 5pm.