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Original poster

North facing garden?

113 replies

GallopingGreen · 19/04/2023 09:39

Need to make a decision this morning... after a year of frustrating house hunting we have found a lovely house in a great location. It's at the very top end of our budget... however it is fully north facing garden. DH is not keen as it's the one thing about the house we can never change.

The current owner has made the best of it with a big kitchen extension at the back with lots of glass and windows... to maximise the light.

Any experience with north facing gardens being fine? It's a long garden so will have some light at some point I guess....

Thanks!

OP posts:

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AspinallaSmythe · 20/04/2023 18:22

Love my north facing garden, plenty enough sun for me. At the top end in the morning and near the house in the evening. Currently the length of the east wall is sunny but as we head towards summer the patio near the house will be sunny in the evening.

Hoolihan · 20/04/2023 18:23

Absolute deal breaker for me. I neeeeeeeed the sun. Hate that cold/damp feeling you get at the back of a north facing house.

CraftyGin · 20/04/2023 18:25

My garden doesn't get boggy. There is a giant patio in the shade of the house, and even then, that is only half in shade.

CellophaneFlower · 20/04/2023 18:37

CraftyGin · 20/04/2023 18:25

My garden doesn't get boggy. There is a giant patio in the shade of the house, and even then, that is only half in shade.

I think people mean throughout the year. Your patio won't get sun year round. NF gardens don't get much sun at all, if any, when it's low.

babyno2isdue · 20/04/2023 19:14

We moved late 2021 to a house with north facing rear garden, previous house had south facing and it was far too sunny with two young children, our current garden has sun on patio first thing and gradually moves up the garden until this time where we still have a corner of the garden in sun. We're thinking of putting a little patio up the back so some time in (hopefully) the not so distant future we can enjoy a glass of wine in the sun when the kids go to bed. It's now my perfect garden and was a life saver when we have the 30+degree weather as the back
Of the house was not cool but not as hot

Spanielsarepainless · 20/04/2023 19:52

Ours is north-facing but open to the back and to the west, so it gets lots of light. It is bliss in the summer as there is some shade by the house for some of the day. It wouldn't put me off if the house was ideal otherwise.

RedPandaFluff · 21/04/2023 08:04

We have a north-facing back garden and I much prefer it - the kitchen doesn't get roasting in summer, and there's no glare in the TV room. Our front rooms are lovely and bright and sunny, but the rooms we use as office at the back of the house are nice and cool for working from home. The garden gets a good bit of sun for most of the day in summer, but there's a nice shaded area too for DD to play in without worrying about sunscreen etc. So, it suits us, but totally appreciate that different things are important to different people.

Inkypinkee · 21/04/2023 08:51

North west facing garden here, on a hill so the house to the west is below us. I prefer it now the summers are getting hotter. Keeps the rooms at the back cool and stops the garden getting too hot to sit in.

it’s not boggy, but we do have patio and decking close to the house.

Bubblebath90 · 21/04/2023 08:58

Don’t do it, it’s just not worth it. You’ll resent it as soon as it’s a hot summer’s day and you’re sitting in darkness

CellophaneFlower · 21/04/2023 09:19

Bubblebath90 · 21/04/2023 08:58

Don’t do it, it’s just not worth it. You’ll resent it as soon as it’s a hot summer’s day and you’re sitting in darkness

She'll appreciate it on a hot summer's day, but the majority of the year isn't like that!

ReviewingTheSituation · 21/04/2023 11:58

Bubblebath90 · 21/04/2023 08:58

Don’t do it, it’s just not worth it. You’ll resent it as soon as it’s a hot summer’s day and you’re sitting in darkness

You won't be sitting in the dark on a hot summer day! You'll be delighted by having the choice of sunny spots and shady spots. Hot sunny days are when N facing gardens come into their own.

I almost took a pic for this thread yesterday (it hasn't been sunny around here for ages). It's April, so not even summer, and 2/3 of my garden spent all day in the sun. Lovely.

Flowerie · 23/04/2023 23:37

absolutely no to North facing Garden! I know two people with a North Facing garden and there is hardly any sunlight at all esp given they are mid terrace! One garden is all concrete as nothing ever grows and is damp…..

I would pay a lower price for a north facing garden and the price should reflect this!

llangennith · 23/04/2023 23:41

It'd be a dealbreaker for me. I once bought a town house in a hurry so as not to lose my buyer and regretted it every summer. Full sun in front of the house, deep shade in the garden by 4pm. Never again!

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