Working out which direction a garden faces is one of the first things I do when I’m designing new gardens as a garden designer. I do this before anything else, and I am going to explain why every gardener needs to follow this step!
After decades of designing gardens, this is the one thing that even some garden designers forget to work out as their first step. Leading to garden designs and planting plans that never get off the ground.
The aspect is a crucial part of garden planning, as it refers to the position the sun moves through your garden. If you ignore the position of the sun in the garden, you will struggle to find the correct plants. It also means you may not choose the best seating areas or plan paths that are then shady, damp and slippery.
It’s key that you understand and plan your garden design based on the direction your garden faces first. When designing and planting a garden, you can accommodate virtually any aspect/compass direction if you understand it. If you skip this step, then anything you plan in the garden is based on guesswork, and thats no way to garden successfully!
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Garden aspect refers to the compass direction your garden faces—north, south, east, or west. This determines the amount of sunlight your garden receives, the angle at which it receives it, and the time of day. Understanding your garden’s aspect is essential for choosing the right plants and positioning seating areas.
Depending on which way your garden faces, you will receive varying amounts of sun at different angles and times of day. By understanding this, you can make the best design choices for where to locate seating areas, garden features, and best of all, plants!
To find out the aspect of your garden, take a compass, or a compass app on your smartphone, and then point it out towards the back of your garden. As if you are facing away from the house and into the garden. This gives you the main aspect.
If you have a wrap-around garden, then each side will give you another compass direction. This means you can tailor each side to the light levels and the sun’s movement in your garden.
The sun rises in the East and sets in the West. This is because the Earth spins in a counterclockwise direction. The diagrams below are for Gardens in the Northern Hemisphere; Southern Hemisphere aspects need to be switched.
Understanding how different aspects of your garden affect your planting choices and garden usability makes an enormous difference to your success.
This comparison table shows exactly what to expect in each direction, helping you work with your garden’s natural conditions rather than fight against them.
I’ve designed gardens in every possible aspect over the past twenty years, and these patterns hold true regardless of garden size or style.
| Garden Aspect | Daily Sunlight | Light Quality | Best Uses | Key Advantages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Facing | 8-10 hours direct sun | Intense, all day sun | Vegetables, Mediterranean plants, sun-loving perennials | Maximum heat and light for tender crops, extended growing season |
| North Facing | 0-2 hours direct sun | Bright shade, indirect light | Shade plants, ferns, hostas, woodland schemes | Cool comfortable seating, lush foliage displays, reduced watering |
| East Facing | 4-6 hours morning sun | Gentle morning light, afternoon shade | Partial shade plants, hydrangeas, Japanese maples | Protected from scorching, ideal for delicate foliage, breakfast areas |
| West Facing | 4-6 hours afternoon/evening sun | Intense afternoon heat, golden evening light | Evening entertaining, heat-tolerant plants, dining areas | Perfect for evening use, warm atmospheric light, morning shade for comfort |
This table provides a starting point, but remember that every garden has its own microclimate influenced by surrounding buildings, trees, walls and fences.
A west-facing garden sheltered by a tall fence might behave quite differently from an exposed west-facing plot with no screening.
The hours of sunlight also vary dramatically between summer and winter, with south-facing gardens maintaining reasonable light levels year-round, whilst north-facing gardens can become quite dim during the shortest days.
Each compass point will provide different amounts of sunlight during the day and evening. It’s worth noting that garden shade will move throughout the day as the sun arcs over your property. Below are the four main aspects your garden will face and how that affects the shade and sunlight during the day.
These guides are to give you an idea of where the shade will predominantly lie. This means that the shaded areas will be colder and receive less light than the non-shaded areas. It is also affected by neighbouring properties, trees, fences and other obstructions.
| South Facing Gardens | |
|---|---|
| ✓ | Maximum sunlight throughout the day receiving direct sun from morning through evening during summer months |
| ✓ | Warmest possible growing conditions enabling you to grow the complete range of sun loving plants from Mediterranean species through to tender vegetables |
| ✓ | Extended growing season with consistent heat warming soil earlier in spring and maintaining warmth into autumn |
| ✓ | Perfect for vegetable growing with crops ripening weeks earlier than shadier aspects and significantly improved yields |
| ✓ | Reliable conditions enable confident plant selection without uncertainty that variable shade patterns create |
| ✓ | Pleasant outdoor spaces remain warm even during cooler months, providing useable areas beyond height of summer |
| ✗ | Uncomfortable heat during summer with gardens becoming too warm during afternoons, requiring shade structures for comfortable seating |
| ✗ | Limited plant palette to drought tolerant species, with many beautiful shade loving plants impossible to grow |
| ✗ | Intensive moisture management crucial as gardens dry out far faster than other aspects, demanding consistent watering |
| ✗ | Higher maintenance requirements with rapid growth and moisture stress demanding regular attention |
| ✗ | Lawn problems often becoming scorched and patchy without intensive irrigation |
| ✗ | Increased pest pressure as aphids and red spider mite thrive in hot, dry conditions |
| North Facing Gardens | |
|---|---|
| ✓ | Cool comfortable conditions more pleasant than intense sun, creating outdoor spaces you actually want to spend time in during hot weather |
| ✓ | Lush woodland style planting with foliage quality and colour far superior to plants stressed by full sun |
| ✓ | Reduced watering demands with soil remaining moist for extended periods and plants suffering less stress |
| ✓ | Excellent lawn quality remaining green and lush through summer when south facing plots have turned brown |
| ✓ | Simplified plant care with shade loving plants often less demanding than sun lovers, requiring less deadheading and staking |
| ✓ | Wildlife benefits from moist, cool conditions perfect for amphibians, shade loving insects and ground beetles |
| ✗ | Fundamentally limited plant palette ruling out entire range of sun lovers that create Mediterranean and prairie style plantings |
| ✗ | Challenging vegetable growing requiring careful crop selection and accepting reduced yields |
| ✗ | Gloomy winter conditions with limited daylight combining with shade to create rather depressing atmosphere |
| ✗ | Late spring arrival with soil remaining cold and preventing early planting of tender crops |
| ✗ | Excessive winter moisture often creating boggy conditions that kill plants intolerant of wet feet |
| ✗ | Slug and snail problems with persistent dampness encouraging these pests to plague shade loving plants |
| East Facing Gardens | |
|---|---|
| ✓ | Perfect morning light quality creating beautiful soft illumination that highlights plants without harsh shadows |
| ✓ | Widest possible plant range enabling you to grow from shade lovers through to partial sun varieties without extreme conditions |
| ✓ | Comfortable garden use with afternoon shade keeping spaces pleasant during hottest hours |
| ✓ | Moderate conditions simplify gardening with plants neither drying out rapidly nor struggling with insufficient light |
| ✓ | Excellent for hydrangeas and woodland plants producing magnificent displays without stress |
| ✓ | Quick dew drying as sun hits garden, reducing fungal disease problems |
| ✗ | Lost sunlight during evening hours when many people actually want to be outside enjoying their space |
| ✗ | Limited entertaining potential compared to west or south facing aspects, with gardens becoming shady and cooling rapidly |
| ✗ | Disappointing displays from sun lovers including many Mediterranean species without consistent heat and bright light |
| ✗ | Reduced vegetable performance with tomatoes, peppers and aubergines coping adequately but rarely matching south facing plots |
| ✗ | Morning sun frost damage risk during late spring when rapid warming after cold nights can damage frozen plant tissue |
| ✗ | Variable growing conditions complicating planting decisions with some areas receiving adequate sun whilst others remain too shaded |
| West Facing Gardens | |
|---|---|
| ✓ | Perfect evening sunlight timing delivering warmth precisely when most people want to be outside enjoying their space |
| ✓ | Magical golden evening light creating welcoming and atmospheric conditions perfect for entertaining and relaxation |
| ✓ | Sophisticated planting combinations mixing shade tolerant species near house with sun lovers towards garden’s sunny end |
| ✓ | Excellent for many popular plants including roses, hardy geraniums and salvias that appreciate sun without excessive heat |
| ✓ | Beautiful architectural effects with evening light illuminating plants with interesting foliage or seed heads dramatically |
| ✓ | Morning shade protects from late frost damage during spring establishment of tender crops |
| ✗ | Intense afternoon heat stress during summer with plants suffering from relentless sun during hottest part of day |
| ✗ | Uncomfortably bright evening sun requiring sunglasses and creating glare that makes relaxation difficult rather than pleasant |
| ✗ | Morning dampness problems keeping gardens cool and encouraging fungal diseases, making morning activities less appealing |
| ✗ | Exposure to prevailing weather from west often creating windier conditions than other aspects |
| ✗ | Limited plant choices to those coping with variable conditions throughout the day |
| ✗ | Demanding moisture management with morning shade maintaining dampness whilst afternoon heat rapidly dries soil |
Another helpful tip is to see what plants and trees are flourishing in your next-door neighbour’s gardens to each side. This can be a good trick to work out what kind of plants work well in your aspect. Take your time when planning your garden, really work out where the sun moves to and from.
Think about your garden design and where you would like to sit, eat, relax and sunbathe. The same goes for your plant choices, a few carefully considered planting groups will work much better than a ‘pick and mix’ have-a-go planting scheme.
Understanding the impact of your garden aspect on all of your garden design choices. By knowing where the sun falls in the garden at different times of the day, you can better plan your garden design. Resulting in a far more successful design than if you just guess.
The aspect of a garden determines how much sunlight different areas receive, affecting plant growth and health. Allowing you to carefully choose plants that will thrive rather than struggle
Sun-loving and shade-tolerant plants should be selected based on the garden’s aspect to thrive. Ignoring this is at your peril. Understanding the aspect allows you to take this into consideration.
Different aspects create microclimates within the garden, influencing temperature, humidity, and wind exposure. Allowing you to avoid putting planting beds or a seating area in a frost pocket for example.
Aspect affects how sunlight and shade patterns shift throughout the day and across seasons, impacting plant growth cycles. This is especially true for greenhouses, which require more sunlight in summer than in winter, allowing you to position them more effectively.
Understanding the garden’s aspect helps in positioning structures and features for optimal energy efficiency, such as placing outdoor seating in sunny spots for warmth.
The play of light and shadow created by the garden’s aspect adds visual interest and depth to the landscape design. It may influence your positioning of trees or trellis screening to enable shadows to be cast on certain parts of the garden.
Aspect influences the layout of functional zones within the garden, such as positioning outdoor entertaining areas to maximise sunlight during the day or avoid being baked in the middle of summer!
Certain aspects may attract or deter wildlife, impacting biodiversity and ecosystem health in the garden. You don’t want a bug hotel in full sun, for example, a pond in complete shade.
Different aspects provide opportunities for micro gardening techniques like vertical gardening or creating shade gardens in sunny spots.
By working with the garden’s aspect, gardeners can reduce water usage, minimise erosion, and create sustainable landscapes that harmonise with the natural environment.
Most people are aware of the ‘South-facing’ garden and how this is the holy grail for horticulturists. This is because south-facing gardens usually get full sun all day long. A south-facing garden gives you the widest possibilities for both design and planting.
You can always create shade in a south-facing garden if it gets too hot, but you can’t create sunlight in a shaded north-facing garden. This is why south-facing gardens are often highly sought after.
A south-facing garden is not the be-all and end-all though. I’m going to help explain using diagrams and examples of how to work out the aspect of your garden. I’ll also be sharing hints and tips in the guide below on garden aspects to help you get the most out of your garden.
One thing that lots of gardeners and even garden designers fail to consider is buildings, trees, or other structures that will change the shade levels in the garden.
For example, a designer may use their compass to work out a new client’s garden that is south-facing. They note it down on the garden survey and then proceed to design a full-sun garden. However, they fail to take into account a summer house next door that, in the afternoon, completely shades the back part of the garden where they have built a patio.
This is where using a shade plan is essential. Let’s have a look at how you can create a shade map of your garden.
A shade map lets you easily see where the sun or shade is at 3-hour intervals during daylight hours. It can enable far better design decisions. It’s created by taking a scaled outline of your garden (a pencil sketch will do) and marking the sun or shade on the paper at 3-hour intervals in the daytime. That way, you can see where the sun and shade may be. Saving costly mistakes with garden planning!
Drawing up a shade map of your garden can be a helpful tool for planning the placement of plants and structures. Here’s a detailed guide on how to create one:
Collect materials such as graph paper, a ruler, a pencil, an eraser, and colored pencils or markers.
Using a tape measure, determine the dimensions of your garden area. Record the length and width in feet or meters.
On the graph paper, draw a rough outline of your garden space to scale. Each square on the graph paper can represent a certain measurement, such as one foot or one meter. Use the ruler to ensure accuracy.
Mark the location of any permanent structures in your garden, such as buildings, fences, walls, or large trees. Use a different colour or symbol to differentiate these structures from the rest of the map.
Note the orientation of your garden, including the direction of north, south, east, and west. This information will help determine where the sun shines at different times of the day.
Spend time in your garden throughout the day to observe how sunlight moves across the space. Note areas of full sun, partial shade, and full shade at different times, such as morning, noon, and afternoon.
On your map, use coloured pencils or markers to shade in areas of partial or full shade. Use different colours to represent different levels of shade intensity.
Add labels or annotations to indicate the time of day when each shaded area occurs. For example, you could label a shaded area as “morning shade” or “afternoon shade.”
Based on the shade patterns, identify suitable planting zones for different types of plants. Shade-tolerant plants can thrive in areas of partial or full shade, while sun-loving plants require more sunlight.
Review your shade map to ensure accuracy and clarity. Make any necessary adjustments or corrections. Once you’re satisfied with the map, consider laminating it or placing it in a protective sleeve for future reference.
By following these steps, you can create a detailed shade map of your garden to guide your planting decisions and maximise the use of available sunlight.
Many gardens contain more than one aspect, particularly larger plots or corner gardens where boundaries face different directions. If you want to understand the best plant choices for every part of your outdoor space, take a look at my comprehensive set of garden aspect guides below, or carry on for a snapshot of what plants will work in your garden!
With a south-facing garden choose plants that enjoy full sun and warm temperatures. There are obviously plants that will cope with a bit of dappled shade, too, but here are some full sun worshipers! A few examples to get you started would be:
Prairie planting schemes will work incredibly well in these gardens as they love full sun and a mix of moist & dry conditions. Grasses will tolerate dry and damp conditions whilst Prairie plants like Heleniums love a damp sunny spot. Have a look below at how even a small garden can benefit from a prairie border scheme.
Any plant that thrives in shade or cooler conditions will love a North Facing Garden. Given the fact that north-facing gardens receive the lowest light levels, you’re going to need plants that enjoy these conditions in the wild.
A selection of popular north-facing garden plant examples are:
Now for East and West, it’s not quite as critical as you are going to get a mix of light and shade. The best advice would be to choose plants carefully for parts of the garden that feature more heavily in the shade or full sun. You really have the best of both worlds!
As east-facing gardens get morning sun, plants that need it will also need to be positioned where the most light falls. Conversely, west-facing gardens usually get the evening sun at the end of the garden, so plants that need sun will be better placed there.
Don’t forget also that any structures you include in the garden will create shade even in a south-facing garden.
Choosing the right plant for the right place is the most sensible approach to garden design planting. As hard as you try, you are not going to get a shade-loving plant to thrive in full sun or vice versa. The RHS website is an excellent resource for locating plants for aspects and soil types. It’s also essential if you’re designing your own garden to work out a consistent theme or feel for the garden.
The best place to start is by working out if you prefer a formal or informal garden design. Then the sky is the limit, let your creative juices flow!
After years of designing gardens across every conceivable aspect and answering countless forum questions about sun patterns, I’ve noticed the same concerns cropping up time and again. These are the questions I’m asked most frequently about garden aspects, and the answers come from practical experience rather than textbook theory.
Absolutely, though perhaps not in the way you’re hoping! North-facing gardens receive indirect sunlight throughout the day rather than direct sun, which creates what I call “bright shade” conditions.
During summer months, you’ll catch early morning sun from the northeast and late evening sun from the northwest, with the garden remaining pleasantly bright but never scorching during the middle hours.
This indirect light is actually brilliant for a whole host of plants that would struggle in south-facing positions. Your garden stays cooler and more comfortable for sitting out during hot spells.
The real challenge comes in winter when north-facing gardens can feel quite gloomy, but strategic planting with evergreens and plants offering winter interest makes an enormous difference. I’ve designed some absolutely stunning north-facing gardens that clients initially thought were hopeless cases.
East-facing gardens are absolute goldmines for woodland plants and anything that appreciates morning sun with afternoon shade.
Think hostas, astilbes, Japanese anemones, and bleeding hearts, all of which perform spectacularly with this aspect. The morning sun gives these plants the energy they need without the scorching afternoon heat that can damage their foliage.
Hydrangeas absolutely thrive in east-facing positions, producing those magnificent flower heads without the stress of intense afternoon sun.
For structure, Japanese maples create stunning focal points, their delicate foliage protected from afternoon scorch whilst still receiving enough light for good autumn colour.
I always tell clients with east-facing gardens that they’ve got the perfect conditions for creating those lush, layered borders that look straight out of a cottage garden magazine.
South-facing gardens are absolutely brilliant for vegetable growing, offering the maximum possible sunlight hours throughout the growing season.
This extended sun exposure creates the warmest possible growing conditions. You can grow everything from sun lovers like tomatoes, peppers, aubergines and courgettes through to reliable staples like beans, peas, carrots and brassicas.
The consistent heat warms soil earlier in spring, extending your growing season at both ends.
However, the intense summer sun does present challenges during heatwaves, when even sun-loving crops can suffer stress. I always recommend mulching heavily in south-facing vegetable plots to conserve moisture.
Position taller crops like sweetcorn or climbing beans to provide some afternoon shade for lettuce and other greens. South-facing plots dry out considerably faster than other aspects, but with proper soil preparation and consistent watering, you’ll achieve harvests that north-facing gardeners can only dream about.
West-facing gardens are absolutely perfect for entertaining because they come into their own during those golden evening hours when you actually want to be outside enjoying your space.
The afternoon and evening sun creates that magical warm glow perfect for summer barbecues and relaxed gatherings, whilst mornings remain pleasantly shaded for those who prefer cooler conditions.
Position your main seating area where it captures that evening sun, typically towards the house end of the garden where you’ll also benefit from shelter.
Plant scented evening flowers like Nicotiana and night-scented stock near seating areas, as their fragrance intensifies during the cooler evening hours.
For the morning shade, create utility areas like sheds, compost bins and vegetable storage where you won’t miss the sun. The planting beds benefit from a mix of shade-tolerant plants towards the house and sun lovers towards the garden’s far end.
I’ve designed countless west-facing gardens for clients who entertain regularly, and they consistently report that their gardens feel more usable than friends’ south-facing plots that become uncomfortably hot during summer afternoons.
South-facing gardens receive the most direct sunlight throughout the day, with the sun arcing across the sky from east to west whilst remaining predominantly in the southern portion.
During summer months, south-facing gardens might receive 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight, compared to east or west-facing gardens getting perhaps 4 to 6 hours, and north-facing gardens receiving mainly indirect light.
However, more sun isn’t automatically better for every gardening situation. That intense south-facing exposure can actually limit your plant palette to drought-tolerant species, create higher watering demands, and make outdoor spaces uncomfortably hot during summer peaks.
The “best” direction depends entirely on your priorities, whether that’s growing vegetables, wildlife gardening, entertaining, or creating lush woodland planting schemes.
I’ve worked with plenty of clients who initially thought they wanted maximum sun, only to realise their dream garden actually needed some shade for comfort and plant diversity.
Growing roses in north-facing gardens is certainly possible, but requires careful variety selection and realistic expectations about performance.
Traditional hybrid tea roses and floribundas generally struggle in reduced light, producing weaker growth and fewer flowers. However, certain rose varieties cope remarkably well with shadier conditions.
The Rugosa roses are particularly tolerant, with varieties like ‘Roseraie de l’Haÿ’ producing fragrant flowers even in limited sun. Species roses and some old-fashioned varieties, including albas and damasks, manage north-facing positions reasonably well.
The key is understanding that roses in shade put more energy into producing foliage to capture available light, meaning you’ll get larger plants with fewer flowers.
Position them in the sunniest spots within your north-facing garden, typically towards the boundaries where they might catch early morning or late evening sun. Improve the soil generously with organic matter to compensate for the challenging light levels.
Your garden’s aspect doesn’t just affect ornamental planting choices; it fundamentally shapes which vegetables and edibles will thrive in your plot.
After years of designing productive kitchen gardens in every possible direction, I’ve learned that working with your aspect rather than fighting it transforms vegetable growing from a frustrating struggle into abundant success.
South-facing gardens offer vegetable growers the absolute jackpot, with maximum sunlight hours enabling you to grow the full spectrum from tender heat lovers through to traditional, reliable crops.
The intense sun creates challenges requiring strategic management. Lettuce, spinach and salad leaves bolt rapidly in hot conditions, going to seed before producing decent harvests.
Grow these crops in spring and autumn when temperatures moderate, or position them where taller crops like sweetcorn provide afternoon shade.
North facing gardens present genuine challenges for vegetable growing, with reduced light levels limiting your crop choices significantly.
However, several valuable crops positively prefer the cooler conditions shade provides. The key is embracing crops that thrive in partial shade rather than attempting to grow sun lovers that will inevitably disappoint.
The fundamental reality remains that north-facing gardens simply cannot match the productivity of south-facing plots for most vegetable crops.
Sun-demanding plants like tomatoes, peppers, courgettes and beans produce disappointing harvests or fail completely in deep shade. So rather than wish for the best, I would avoid wasting time on these and always opt for vegetables that are known to thrive in shade! Box clever, Ninjas!
East and west-facing gardens offer that perfect compromise for vegetable growing, providing adequate sunlight for most crops without the challenges extreme aspects create. In my opinion, these are the best aspects for growing the largest variety of edibles.
These directions enable you to grow a remarkably wide range of vegetables, from sun lovers that cope with partial shade through to shade-prefering crops that benefit from protection during the hottest hours.
East-facing vegetable plots receive that gentle morning sun, perfect for encouraging strong growth without the stress of intense afternoon heat.
West-facing plots deliver afternoon and evening sun that benefits many vegetable crops whilst providing morning shade that protects from frost.
Position taller crops on the sun-facing side of plots, with lower-growing salads and brassicas benefiting from the shade these taller plants cast.
This creates productive use of space whilst providing protection for shade preferring crops during the hottest hours.
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Ignoring the aspect of your garden is often at your peril. As much as you may want that Fig tree to fill your garden with Mediterranean summery sunshine, if your plot is a damp North-facing garden, then you may need to readjust your planting requirements! That’s not to say you can’t have an incredible garden; it just needs a more selective plant approach.
The next thing I must urge you to check before designing a new garden is the soil type you have. Without understanding your soil, your best-laid garden design plans may fail to launch. Check out my guide to soil types here.
If you’re new to gardening then my beginner gardening playlist below will help get you up to speed quickly! It should help you make fewer gardening mistakes and succeed more in your garden design journey!
Need more help with your garden? Why not get in touch on social media using the links below or use Garden Ninjas garden design service?
You can Tweet, Facebook or Instagram me with your questions or ideas! You can also follow me on Youtube where I’ve got plenty of garden guide vlogs.
Lee Burkhill, known as the Garden Ninja, is an award-winning garden designer and horticulturist with over 30 years of gardening experience and 15 years as a professional garden designer. A qualified RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) professional, Lee specialises in sustainable garden design and practical horticultural advice. He designs and presents on BBC1’s Garden Rescue and in leading gardening publications. Lee combines three decades of hands-on gardening knowledge with professional design qualifications to help gardeners create beautiful, functional outdoor spaces.
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Thanks Garden Ninja, I never understood aspects before and used to get so confused on what garden aspects actually referred to!
I love Hostas but have a very open south east facing garden, can I plant them in full sun?
Jill.
Hi Jill, Thanks for the feedback on my garden design blog! I’m glad my garden aspects post has helped you to understand the positioning of your garden correctly.
You can plant hostas in sun but you may find you need to water them more regularly and they may turn slightly yellow if in real heat and sun. Garden Ninjas advice would be to plant them under a tree or somewhere with at least some shade then you can get the best out of them. It also adds a nice foliage rich texture to shady areas! Or plant it in a pot and see how it does in the sun one year before committing it to the ground!
All the best
Lee
I’m thinking of buying a house with a north/west garden, as a keen gardener and sun lover is this going to be a big no no? I keep looking at your fab aspect guides but I’m still confused! Help!
Hi Nicky, No of course it isn’t! It’s all about the right plant for the right place. Unless you really want to grow flowers and plants that will only survive in full sun then I wouldn’t be put off a North / West garden. You need to balance off the right house and right garden. There’s a huge selection of plants you could use. However, if you’re tick list of must-haves is all day sun (when we get it in the UK) then maybe you do need to consider a different property! All the best with your new house hunt! Lee
Hi.
Your website is fab. Trying to understand if I buy a south east garden lined by large trees at the bottom inc. One with a tpo and what looks like young silver birches planted along the remainder. How much sun I would get? Are these silver birch type trees fast growing. This is 10m from back of house.
I love gardening and being out doors do nervous!! Currently live in a west facing garden which I love and has no blockage from trees etc close by.
Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks 🙂
Hi Rebecca,
Great to hear from you and I’m really glad you like the site!
If you’re going to buy a house with large trees the best way to see how much sunlight you would get is to book a viewing both in the morning and the early evening before the sun sets. That’s the best way to truly see where the shade lies. Birch are not mega fast growing and are usually chose by designers as they don’t cast huge amounts of shade. Birch (Betulas) canopies are usually quite thin when compared to say a large leafed variety tree such as Horse Chesnut (Aesculus hippocastanum).
Defo go and have a nosey around during those times. Other than that I’d say also think about how much time you spend outside vs inside too. You can always find a sunny spot in most gardens. Don’t give up on your dream house just because of the aspect. There’s plenty of plants for shade! Hope that helps! Lee
Great article, very useful! As few gardens are truly N, E, S or W facing it would be great if you could update (with diagrams!) to consider gardens that are SE, NW etc.
Hello Ninja!
Greetings from Northwestern Washington State. I’m so lucky that our gardening zones are similar. Just bought my first house & I have no idea what I’m doing in the garden. Your videos and blogs are great! I had to transplant a rose out of season – actually in the dead of summer – because of the move. It was hard pruned and replanted the same day. I used some root stimulator and have been feeding it worm casings. It hasn’t died – yet. But I’m worried if it will survive the winter. Is there anything I can do to help it through the cold season?
Thank you!
Hi Mary, Great to hear from you. It sounds like you’ve followed all the advice I would give you on how to transplant a rose. Cutting it back is essential along with keeping it watered. I’d give it a thick compost mulch during the winter. I’d also follow my rose pruning vlog here in late winter to make sure it bounces back! Thanks for your kind comment on my vlog and check back soon for more from me, the Garden Ninja! Happy Gardening. Lee https://youtu.be/-Occ2WuIBnU
Hi. Thanks for your video about aspect.
Very confused, as the shaded areas seem to be in the opposite areas i thought they would be.
Thank you.
Emma