North vs South facing garden?

[estebancolberto]

We are interested in two properties. One has north facing garden and the other south facing. What's more attractive to future buyers?

Given the extreme hot weather we are seeing and expect going forward in future years, will it be the case that south facing gardens will be difficult to maintain (grass burns out quickly) and too hot to even enjoy?

South. I love a bright room facing the garden.

The best thing about a South facing garden for me isn't when it's the height of summer and it's warm in the shade anyway. It's during the many months when you can happily sit in the sun, but it's still too chilly without it. It makes the summer feel more extended, as I can use my garden for longer.

I can create shade on the days when the sun is too hot... I can't create sun in shady areas!

It also depends on what's planted around it. We have a long, south-facing garden, but it's very shady because it's surrounded by trees/tall hedges on 3 sides with a fucking massive walnut tree in the middle. The lawn is full of moss and you'd have a hard time growing vegetables in it!

My current garden faces north east and it's lovely. I also have a conservatory which is actually usable in the summer! My garden gets plenty of sun in the summer and a fair amount down the bottom in winter. The grass does get a bit mossy and the patio needs a good pressure wash in the spring but that's the only downsides for me. On the other hand, the south facing front is baking! Not much grows successfully and I'm constantly watering and my bedroom at the front is sweltering in the summer.

Would never buy a house with a north facing garden. One of my few deal breakers

Gardening wisdom used to say a West facing garden was best but all aspects have pros and cons.

We bought a house which broadly faced South so North facing back garden but its a large garden and I like the aspect. At any time of day there is sun and shade, there was always somewhere for the children to play and we don't have the "sunbaked" effect on the rooms at the back.

I wouldn't choose a house based on aspect of garden unless the garden was tiny.

I know someone who will only look at a property if it has a south-facing garden.

This was also me and I ironically ended up buying a house with a north facing garden. The thing that swung it for me is the orientation of the rooms. Most of mine are dual aspect or south-facing but my two north-facing rooms are definitely chilly and a bit sad.

My garden is large so getting the sun somewhere in the garden isn't an issue. But the patios nearer the house are prone to being very slippy in winter (even with pressure washing). And if my garden was smaller, I'd hate not getting any sun on it.

Love this thread! I think the key to any house search is to be flexible. Our house is on a 1/3 of an acre corner plot with one side facing east and one north. I have massive and tons of windows on all sides with my triple aspect lounge facing west, south and east. It’s always warm and sunny when the sun is out. Out north facing patio is behind our garage (so not much height for sun to come over) and no buildings or trees block the east and west so a real sun trap. A north facing rooms is a quest bedroom but if I leave door open the sun comes into it through the large landing window.
The house directly behind us is south facing and looks very gloomy and dark as there are lots of trees that could be cut back!!
i think in a different market than todays market there is sometimes a premium on south facing gardens, just make sure that if you are buying a south facing garden it truly does gets lots of sun you are paying for.

If I had to pick between South or North facing, then I would pick South facing with awning.

I like the sun. I like the thermal effects of the sun coming through the windows and doors on South face during the colder months.

We currently have a North West facing garden and planning an extension. The current west facing side rooms get very hot during heat waves; but then I enjoyed the warmth from the sun in the same rooms yesterday as it was blowing a gale. We are carefully considering the placement of windows and bifolds/sliders and ways we can cool the space during hot days. Awnings are coming into our plans. Out over the patio before the sun touches the glass and pulled back on days like today to let in maximum light and any thermal gain from it.

Depends if there is a slope.

Very true.

I'd pick south over north unless it was a big garden where aspect was less important.

I currently have my favorite. East/west. Get the sunrise and sunset clearly every day. Lovely to sit in the morning sun and get the late afternoon sun in winter. Both gardens are private as you approach my house from the side. An east garden also means you can sit out of the heat of the day if you want to.

Definitely south. It’s easy to create shade in a garden but impossible to create sun!

We have a small, south facing garden in London. In 2022 it got so hot that our plastic bin melted and caught light. Don't recommend a south facing garden under these conditions.

We have a north facing back garden but have nothing on our east and west side. We get direct sun all day in the back garden, except the patio which is nearest to the house. It means we don't need a sun umbrella for the seating area but the beds all get sun.

Two of our bedrooms and the living room are south facing. They get a lot of sunlight. The back rooms are north facing so they don't. It's not just the garden you need to look at.

Always south - I like a big bright kitchen opening out into the garden.

We've put in plenty of shady spots outside for when it's too hot, but you can't beat a sunlight kitchen.