A Home With a Sunny South-Facing Garden Might Seem Great — but It Comes With Hidden Risks

A house with ample sunlight pouring in feels like a blessing, and what better than a south-facing home? While it can be, most homeowners with south-facing gardens beg to differ. One such homeowner broke down her troublesome experience trying to maintain a house with a south-facing garden for five years and finally decided to move out. Lauren Bradbury of Ideal Home detailed her everyday struggles in her new home, including the small fortune she had to spend on damages to her garden at the center of it. Experts backed her opinions, debunking the perceived advantages of a south-facing garden. 

Drawbacks of a south-facing garden

Everyone loves a good morning sunshine, but as the clock strikes past noon and the heat simmers, it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s no surprise that our planet is getting hotter and hotter every year, with heatwaves tormenting even the best places. Considering all that, views on owning a south-facing house ought to change. When the homeowner purchased her first home with a south-facing garden, she quickly got a reality check of all the issues that arose sooner than she expected in her new home. The raging sun falls directly on their garden, killing plants, overheating their home exterior, and there’s no escaping the heat, even if you install shades. @bunnyguinness shared her take on south-facing gardens in a YouTube video. 

While the homeowner realizes how the south-facing aspect boosts the value of her home, the problems that come with it are just not worth it. Rachel Hurley, Founder & Principal Architect at StudioHA, advised, “Many of our clients love the sun but quickly discover the downsides: overheating interiors, unusable terraces, and plants that don’t cope.” Describing the architecture of their home garden, Bradbury shared that their house was mid-terraced with a long and thin garden which received sun throughout the year. They hoped the trees behind their house would offer some relief from the constant sun, but in vain. The homeowner also installed outdoor structures like an overhanging garden parasol and a sun shade sail in their seating area. 

South-facing gardens are a task

The homeowners have tried everything to enjoy their south-facing garden while also spending a little fortune on redecorating their outdoor space. They have, unfortunately, not been able to fully utilize their garden during the summer months. The spring and autumn months are ideal for outdoor dinners and hosting parties when the sun is pleasant, but the peak summer sun keeps the couple away from their garden more than they would like to be. “South-facing gardens are hard to maintain, and none of our plants have survived for anywhere near as long as they should,” she admitted. @Gardenninja explained why knowing the direction of your home garden is important.

The limitless heat and sun exposure on the exterior resulted in a cracked render that caused a leak in the bedroom. Fixing it was expensive and not anticipated by the homeowners. Eventually, their newly installed timber fence began warping and fading due to the sun. There is a resolution for every problem, be it finding a suitable south-facing plant or additional installations to protect their fences. However, the homeowners were not willing to make that extra effort and decided to sell their house despite spending an extra $13,000 on their home. 

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