Which way should my house face?

ironlady2022

Hi

I'm looking to buy and I'm wanting sunshine to the front of my house in the morning and evening sun for when I get home from work so I can have a chill outside.

I've heard people talking of south face gardens, isn't it best if it was west facing where the sun sets?

It's very trivial for me. Hope you can help advise which is best orientation and the worst.

BitterAndTwisted

West-facing is no good if you like to do a spot of sunbathing in the mornings at the weekend. The bigger the garden the more direct sunlight it's going to get. A pocket-handkerchief sized one with eight foot fences is going to be in the shade whatever the orientation.

ironlady2022

Thank you. That was something I had never thought of actually - weekend sun sounds good. So a north front and south facing garden is best for all day sunshine?
What about a north facing garden - would this be the same?

MoneyMate

Sounds like you want a South facing Front of house , BUT this would make any back garden in the shade .

ironlady2022

I'm asking as there is a North facing garden one. It looks like I want a South facing garden

I_have_spoken

Given the chance, most peeps would elect to have the rear of their house face SW. That way, you get most evening sun on the patio at the back of the house and the plants at the closest border. If you have a tall fence at the end of the garden, that will cast some shade but it's manageable when the sun is high.

If you have the back facing SW then then master bedroom at the front should get the early morning sun from the East. I quite like that, but the downside is a kitchen at the rear won't get sun 1st thing for breakfast.

Also if the back is SW then chances are a rear conservatory can get mega-hot in summer even with all the doors and windows open

ka7e

I don't think it's trivial at all! I have always lived in houses with West-facing back gardens and a North-facing or shaded-by-other-properties garden would probably be a deal-breaker for me.

When we have decent weather, the garden is another "room" for eating and recreation.

ironlady2022

Thanks for everyone's replies. How do I upload a photo as site map is not on website. Wanting some help as it's a north facing garden but think I would get all day sun as it's not overlooked. Given a choice I would go for south facing garden too but most properties have sold on plot.

ging84

a south facing garden is never in the shadow of the house
any other direction and the house will cast a shadow on at least some of the garden some of the time.

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

Think outside the box. :think: A roof garden is what you need.

Pinklepurr

We moved from a house with a SW facing garden to one with a N facing garden. It was one of the things I wasn't sure I could compromise on, but to be honest, it has not been as bad as I thought. It is only gloomy in the depths of winter (Nov-Feb) the rest of the year we get sunshine in most parts of the garden during the day and, as a keen gardener, have managed to create a decent garden even in shady spots.

In the height of summer the sun comes right up to the back of the house and we get many hours of sunshine. We can choose to sit in the shade or the sun so perfect. In our old SW facing garden there was virtually no shade at all.