Any examples of exotic gardens on a N-facing slope?

[Kristen]

I don't think its just an issue about the garden. South Facing large windows - Patio doors etc - will give you much more solar gain - and be more "cheerful" too, than having your main rooms facing North.

Typically fewer / smaller windows at the front of the house, so Front=North and Back=South should be more efficient & comfortable.

[Adrian]

My back garden faces NW so very little sun in winter for half of the garden, there are bonuses like the conservatory doesnt get stupidly hot in Summer but the downside is that a frost will sit there for ages if not all day.
Id say buy a house that you like and garden accordingly.

[grub]

Mine is Kris though to be honest it's not that much of a slope.

You have worked wonders Grub.

It'll be alright when it's finished

[Dave Brown]

This is what sold mine to me, even though a slightly north facing slope. The day we viewed was on 12th January and the sun was streaming in the whole length of the lounge (27ft)

Although the view was not quite as good then

I can't agree with you Ade, as I think it very much depends on the person. I would not have stayed long in a house that didn't get winter sun in the lounge.

The pic below is of my road (Google Maps Oct 2008), and my garden is the oblong red with the south facing back garden on a north facing slope. The elipse shows the houses over the road with the entire garden in shade at lunchtime in October, so they will remain that way until at least late February

[GREVILLE]

My back garden faces NW and with the three storey victorian house rising over over forty feet high, you would think I have a shade problem, but I don't.

As I am on a corner with my with my SW side running parallel to the road, the house on the opposite corner, though the same size, is downslope and afternoon sun on the winter solstice still shines on the side of the house and bathes the back end of the rear garden in sun (when it's out). The living room french windows look out to a great view on a sunny winters day. As the same room has a side window on the SW side, the sun can stream into the room at the same time.

The pic taken in early Spring this year shows how much sunight hits the SW facing side of the house and because the load bearing wall running along the side is holding up the garden to a height of six to eight feet above the road the back of the garden can easily pick up the sunshine.

I'll put some shots of the garden itself on another post to show why it's so favoured.

[mumfie]

with your passion for this hobby, kris, remain patient and go for south facing or west facing. otherwise you will spend the rest of your life "fighting" the environment.

south-facing slopes are fantastic as long as it rains occasionally in summer. people with such gardens often grow small trees to create a shady spot!

west facing is fantastic if you like to sit out on the patio late afternoon, and you have a nice mix of environments (shade + semi shade + full sun)

mine is west facing BUT COMPLETELY RUINED BY NEXT DOOR's F***ING BEECH TREE which casts shade on the best part of my garden from 3pm onwards. such a shame as it would be amazing. hopefully one day the tree will die.

[Darlo Mark]

Well here's a north facing garden...


...it's in new zealand!

I have a south facing garden , one of the main reasons i bought the house!

[jezza]

1984 Via R FG.jpg

Like the P6 dave

[redsquirrel]

i thought you lived on a big hill Grub?

[greendragon]

Id take a north facing slope garden in Cornwall anyday but in Yorkshire hell no.

[Nigel Fear]

Kris, if you like the house that much, I say go for it regardless of whichever way the garden points.

I'm guessing it's too cold/wet in winter anyway for a mediterrainean style scheme, so go for more shade tolerent stuff there, and be happy. Ok, if your'e garden is at the bottom of a valley,or has a large wall at the end, it will trap the colder air in winter, but otherwise, it probably won't be more than a few fractions of a degree colder than the front.

That said, I have a slightly sloped north facing garden,[albeit, in a milder part of the country] and can grow Cycas, Dasylirion's and such, right there on the patio ouside quite happily, receiving adequate sun in the warmer months to keep them happy.

You strike me as an imaginitive/innovative type of gardener, so I'm sure you'd be able to turn such a place into a tropical looking oasis in any case.

[Yorkshire Kris]

Cheers Nigel. It seems that north facing is ok if the garden is not sloping or very long. I think we will have to keep searching.

[grub]

i thought you lived on a big hill Grub?

I'm at the bottom Darren, well, in the almost flat bit low down

[Adrian]

Surely the house comes before the garden, when we moved here some 16/17 years ago it was the house that was the priority, as long as there was a decent sized garden and wasnt over looked then we were happy.
Im more than happy to get sun in the morning in my front garden and bottom half of the back garden then afternoon sun in the house half of the back garden and on the deck, in fact its ideal.
Winter for me when the sun doesnt reach the back of the house really doesnt bother me, we dont sit out the back in winter so dont miss the sun, maybe if I was stuck in the house all day then I might feel different.
The only problem with my garden in winter is that a frost will sit there sometimes all day, sure there are plants that I cant winter outside because of it but I garden accordingly.
Most people with South facing gardens look to get some shade in Summer any way
I have different seating areas in my garden so at all times in Spring, Summer and the nicer bits of Autumn I can sit in sun or shade, as said in Winter I dont want to sit outside anyway.
Sure we all want something different but personally I certainly wouldnt discount a nice house because the garden faced the wrong way.

[flounder]

I have a SW front, trying to achieve Mediterranean style. Back garden NE. Mixed type planting, shade plants and siberian tolerent.
Tend not to look out the back in winter, let alone go out there