North Facing Garden - Urgent!

**janeyo** · 29-01-2009, 09:23 AM

Nan's is north facing. It gets a lot of moss etc and always feels cold and damp near the house. She can grow veggies right down the far end.
Over the road from us is north facing. He often sits on his front step with a beer to get a bit of sun!

I wouldn't pick a north facing one. It was on my list of definite no's for moving.They always feel gloomy!
Just my opinion.

**-pat m** · 29-01-2009, 09:41 AM

Not very scientific but my garden is S/W facing and my paddock is N facing- last year I spread my vegetables about between the two sites and didn’t really think the paddock was any worse or better? I am sure there is a definitive answer but I had no concerns erecting my poly tunnel based on last summer’s results?

Pat

**Two_Sheds** · 29-01-2009, 09:41 AM

I would never have another North facing garden. Cold, gloomy, damp & dark where it's shadowed by houses on the West side. East side isn't shaded by anything, but it only gets sun in the morning.

Sorry!

Our lounge is North facing, and the front garden. It's a very cold room in the winter as it never gets any sun to warm it up. I have just planted shade-lovers in the front (hellebores, anemones, foxgloves) to cheer it up a bit.

**pipscariad** · 29-01-2009, 09:44 AM

Hmm, tricky one this! When you say it catches the sun at the far end - is that at this time of year? Because if it is, then obviously it will be pretty sunny during the summer, when the sun is much higher in the sky. As long as you have part of the garden that always catches the sun, all year around, I'd go for it! You can take the cups of tea/glasses of chilled white down there at any time... But then it's not that you asked about is it, oops

. As far as growing things go, then the amount of sunlight will limit you quite seriously I should think - there's not many things, esp. veg, that thrive without sun. Our front garden is north facing, and apart from midsummer it never gets the sun at all, so we've just left it as lawn. Anything else I've tried has failed miserably. But then, if it has a greenhouse, that's got to be a good thing, hasn't it?!

When all's said and done, it's how happy you feel - this house hunting business is a difficult thing. I said, before we viewed our house that we're in now, that there was "no way" I'd live here (too overlooked at the back), but it's lovely really. If the house feels right I'm sure you can overcome the garden, and as I say, as long as you have sun all year round at the end, I reckon you'll be fine.

**Two_Sheds** · 29-01-2009, 09:47 AM

Originally posted by Rhona View Post

It's perfect in most ways except the garden is North facing, which I said I never wanted. But! it is very long and catches the sun at the lower half, and has a greenhouse etc.

Have a close look at the ground, paths and greenhouse (and roofs) for moss. That will tell you a lot about how damp & shady it is (except if the vendor is smart & has cleaned it all off)

**-pat m** · 29-01-2009, 09:49 AM

Originally posted by Two_Sheds View Post

Have a close look at the ground, paths and greenhouse (and roofs) for moss. That will tell you a lot about how damp & shady it is (except if the vendor is smart & has cleaned it all off)

Well I wont be putting the bread in when you come to look at my house two sheds

Pat

**digthatchick** · 29-01-2009, 09:50 AM

I have a north facing garden all 250' of it all me veggies are in the lower half in 5 12'x4' raised beds. In the summer there is plenty of sun, at this time of year it is a bit gloomy, but isn't it everywhere.

**digthatchick** · 29-01-2009, 10:09 AM

This pic is of the upper garden, facing due North taken in late autumn at 2.30pm the patio is in shade from the high gables (not a problem in high summer) it should give an idea of available light we have a lot of trees in the garden which create shade but I love trees. The other pic is of part of the lower garden taken at the same time.

Attached Files

**SarzWix** · 29-01-2009, 10:36 AM

My back garden is North, it gets plenty of sun at the far end to grow tomatoes etc in the greenhouse in summer. It's a bit gloomy in winter though. If you'll be able to make use of the far end, then I'd say go for it. You'll be grateful for the shade in the summer for the babies

**TonyF** · 29-01-2009, 10:43 AM

We have a north facing garden and it's on a fairly steep slope. Moss is a problem but only when we don't clear the leaves under the trees.

Ok, it's not ideal but you can make allowances for that and can grow things that will accomodate it being north facing.

Luckily the back of our house is raised about 10 feet up a slope so the raised beds are placed to face the greater part of the spring and autumn sunny days - summer just isn't a problem.

**emilymup** · 29-01-2009, 10:45 AM

My house and garden are very similar to digthatchicks - I too have a very long garden and although part of it is shaded by the house the rest of the garden is always in the sun! It is only really gloomy out the back in the very depths of winter when there is no sun shining, but I'm not out then anyway!. My veg plot down the very bottom of the garden gets very hot in the summer especially as it is enclosed by dense hedges, so in effect has its own micro-climate. If I had to move again I wouldn't be put off by this as long as the garden was plenty big enough!! Good luck, I hope all goes well for you!

**nerobot** · 29-01-2009, 10:55 AM

I have a north facing garden and didn't have any problems with growing veg. However, it was at the bottom of the garden and got about 7 hours direct sunlight in the summer. I did have problems in the winter because it got no direct sunlight at all!

Steven

**Mike and Louise** · 29-01-2009, 11:49 AM

We have a north facing garden too. At the height of the summer we get sunlight in every part of the garden, from the house end, right down to the bottom end.

As the summer progresses the shadow of the house moves further down the garden but it never reaches the bottom completly.

We still get more than enough sunlight in the garden to grow veg though and to keep the unheated greenhouse warm.

South facing gardens are better if you wish to grow winter veg but a north facing garden will also do just fine.
As long as the garden gets enough direct sunlight then it will be fine for growing veg.

**lynda66** · 29-01-2009, 11:56 AM

it also depends what's round it, my back carden is south west facing, and front is north east facing, the back garden gets sun from sunrise to about 2pm, and about 7 at the bottom, the front garden gets sun from about 11 till the sun goes down, i grew loads of veggies in the front last year, and actually they did very well, if theres nothing shading it when the sun is overhead in summer, it should be ok

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North Facing Garden - Urgent!

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