What is the best facing garden in the UK?

When it comes to house hunting, outdoor space has never been so important. But it’s not just having a garden that matters. After all, sunlight can be hard to come by in the UK, so the direction our gardens face can significantly change how many hours of sun we get, and thus how we use our gardens, when we spend time in them, and what we can plant in them. 

But what is the best facing garden for sun? And just how much does the UK value sunlight? 

To discover just how much we’d pay for a garden full of sun, we at Grass247 conducted a new survey revealing just how strongly garden orientation influences property desirability, and ultimately, offer prices across the UK.

So, what facing garden gets the most sun?

South facing gardens: Brits will offer £4k over other garden orientations 

Without a doubt a south facing garden gets the most sunlight throughout the day, making it the best facing garden for those wanting to soak up good weather. 

What is a south facing garden? 

Simply put, this refers to the direction your garden faces when you face towards the back of your garden. South facing can also include gardens facing the south east and south west as well. 

If you’re wondering “Is my garden south facing?”, simply head out to your garden and face the end of your lawn. You can then use the compass on any maps apps on your phone to tell you which direction you are facing. 

On average, south facing gardens get 8-10 hours of sunlight during the day, and during the peak of summer this can even go up to 16 hours a day. Their consistent light makes them a great garden for planting, drying any washing, and spending time outdoors, so it’s no surprise that UK adults consider south facing as the best facing garden to have. 

Our research found that people will offer the most money on a home with a south facing garden. When asked, 15% said they would offer above asking price for a garden with this orientation while 23% would stick to asking price. 

Of course, when offering on a home, we all will try our luck for a bargain, under-offering on asking price wherever we can. However, despite our money-saving efforts, home buyers are much more likely to offer more for southern facing gardens. 

Our research found that Brits will under-offer by an average of £8,470.05 for a garden that doesn’t face south vs under-offering by £4,166.65 for a south facing garden–meaning buyers value a sunny garden at around £4,303.49 more than other orientations. 

Garden values across the UK

Only three areas said that they don’t prefer a south facing garden–Northern Ireland (who prefer north facing), the North East and Eastern England (who both prefer east facing gardens).

When looking at the cash values of offers, Wales, Yorkshire and the West Midlands will offer the biggest difference for a south facing garden versus their least favourite gardens. 

Welsh residents said they will offer £11,262.51 more for a south facing garden versus an east facing equivalent. Meanwhile those in Yorkshire value a south facing garden at almost £10,000 more than a north facing garden. In the West Midlands, a south facing garden is worth £8,437.25 more than a west facing garden (their least favourite option). 

West facing gardens: How much will Brits offer?

But what about other gardens? Well, west facing gardens were the second most popular option with UK adults. While not as sought after as south facing gardens, they still out perform north and eastern counterparts when it comes to value. 

When asked, 9% of UK adults said they would offer above asking price for a west facing garden, while almost a quarter could offer asking price (23%). 

On average, people would offer £7,487.83 below asking, valuing west facing gardens at £3,321.27 less than southern gardens. 

When does a west facing garden get sun?

For those with a west facing garden, sun will peak in the afternoon and evenings. Experiencing cool, shaded mornings, you’ll usually get 4-6 hours of sunlight in the afternoons. This can be perfect for those wanting to do their relaxing, entertaining, or gardening after their work day. 

North facing gardens: Brits are most likely to haggle on these gardens 

If south is considered the best facing garden to have, then it makes sense that the UK isn’t too keen on a north facing garden. 

When asked, just one in five (21%) would offer asking price for a home with a north facing garden. 27% said they would offer below asking, meaning any sellers should expect some haggling over market price for these homes. 

On average, buyers would knock £8,775.60 off their offer for a north facing garden. 

However, this isn’t a universal feeling, in Northern Ireland, interestingly, people will offer the most money on a north facing garden. When asked, residents said they would offer an average of £749.67 more on a north facing garden than a south facing one. 

Do north facing gardens get sun?

When it comes to a north facing garden, sun can be harder to come by. North facing gardens will get direct sun in the early morning and late evening in the summer months, looking at around 3-6 hours daily, depending on the size of your garden.

Your house will block midday sun in a north facing garden, so expect shade in the areas close to your home. However, those with a longer garden can still get sunlight towards the bottom of their garden, meaning they can make the most of these further spots from their house with some north facing garden ideas. 

For example, you can use zoning in your garden and use these sunnier spots to priotise what you plant and where you place any furniture. 

East facing gardens: Lowest offers in the UK

East facing gardens were found to be the least popular in the country. 

While a quarter (25%) said they would go below asking price, people will knock the largest amount off of their offers for this type of garden–under-offering by £9,146.72.

But east facing gardens are still loved in some areas of the UK. Our study found that they were the most popular orientations with those in the North East and Eastern England. 

Is an east facing garden good?

Not all is lost if you have an east facing garden! These gardens can get plenty of sun in the morning, seeing around 4-6 hours until midday to 2pm. 

This sunshine will often be more gentle than afternoon sun, and your garden will have cooled down by the afternoon, so an east facing garden can be particularly pleasant during heatwaves. 

A clever way to work with an east facing garden? Design the space with the sun in mind. These gardens are perfect if you enjoy a morning coffee or breakfast in the sunshine so place your furniture in a sunny spot to catch the light before your day starts. 

North and east facing garden ideas to add value to your home

Finding out the answer to “which way does my house face” is a key starting point to getting the best out of your outdoor space. Face the end of your garden and use your maps or compass apps to see where your garden faces. 

Almost one in five (18%) said they wouldn’t offer on a north or east facing garden at all. But there are ways to make the most of these gardens and add value back to your home! 

We’ve shared our top five tips to make the most of any north or east facing gardens and add appeal for any prospective buyers. 

1. Let sunny spots shine

The first thing to do is track the sunlight in your garden. This will help you understand which areas get the sun, and what time of day they benefit the most from any light.

Use this map to zone your garden. Place any furniture such as benches, tables, or loungers in the areas that get the most light, making them centre stage for any home viewings. 

2. Consider your lawn

Gardens that get less sunlight can experience plenty of lawn problems. From dealing with chronically dry grass, all the way to dead grass patches across your garden, which can make your garden look less appealing for prospective buyers. 

Grass needs around 4-6 hours of daily sunlight to thrive, so you’re likely to get patchy grass if you’re dealing with low, uneven levels of sun. On the opposite end, after particularly damp seasons your grass may struggle to dry out, leading to a mushy lawn.

If you have brown patches on your lawn, or even dead grass in areas, it could be because your grass is struggling to stay healthy. 

If you’re particularly struggling with the health of your lawn, an easy lawn fix can be installing artificial grass in its place. Artificial grass can be the perfect low maintenance alternative for north and east facing gardens, removing the guess-work from your grass and allowing you to focus on other areas of your garden. 

Paving, gravel or decking can also be used in particularly shady areas, and will create an even surface for any furniture you’re placing. 

3. Bring in shade-loving plants 

Bringing more greenery into your garden is a perfect way to add appeal and value. Placing them in shady spots will also add a visual interest to these areas and make your garden seem less sparse and cold. 

For any plants in a north or east facing garden, opt for shade-friendly species. Plants such as ferns, ivy, and hostas are great for hardy conditions. 

Using potted plants, rather than planting into the ground, can also be ideal for darker gardens, as you can use them to bring in more colour and light to the space. This also allows you to move plants around your garden if you’re struggling with placement. 

4. Maximise light

Where possible, bring light into your garden. This can mean choosing light paving stones or decking for any patios, opting for light-washed furniture, or even painting your fence in a lighter colour. 

Using a light colour palette will allow light to reflect around your garden, creating a brighter space. In contrast, dark colours absorb light and will add to any shadows in your garden. 

5. Add accessories to distract from darkness

There are some accessories to add to north or east facing gardens that can work to pull the eye away from any shady spots. 

Water features are a perfect way to add more visual interest to a garden. Bringing in this texture and movement creates a focal piece and will distract from the darkness of a garden, as well as adding more monetary value to the space. Water can also reflect light around your garden, adding to the brightness. 

A smaller accessory that can distract the eye? Mirrors. Bringing mirrors into your garden not only adds to the appeal of them by adding an element of beauty, they also serve a practical purpose. Mirrors will bounce light around the space, making your garden appear not only lighter but also larger than it is. 

Artificial lighting can also be a great addition in gardens that get less sun. Use fairy lights in any trees or shrubbery to add warmth to your garden, creating a more inviting and ambient outdoor space and also adding light to particularly shaded areas.