GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - How to tell where you garden is facing? (South/North etc)

27-01-2006, 10:14 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening

On 26/1/06 23:40, in article
, "htmark98"
wrote:

I havent a compass yet but looking at street maps by house looking onto
the street is facing NorthWest so looking at my front door is SE. So
which way is my back garden facing looking from the back door down at
it or from the bottom of the garden up to the house.

If it's down towards it again looking at it's facing South East
(approx 120). But i think i'll need a compass to get an exact figure,
is there anywhere online that wil tell me this to save me buying a
compass?

But most important is this a good garden for growing? Havent started
yet so what do people recommend?

Just watch which side of your garden the sun comes up in the morning and
which side it goes down at night. Once you've got east/west sorted out,
you've got the rest. You don't need an exact figure unless you're planning
to sail your house across the Atlantic. ;-)
You want to observe your own garden and see where gets the most sun for most
of the day, which the least. You want to see where natural shadows fall
from trees, fences, the house itself etc. and plant accordingly. And before
you do that, if you're new to the house, wait a year to see what comes up in
the garden and then you will know you're not digging out something lovely
that you will regret losing. And to help you learn what will grow well in
your garden, observe those of your close neighbours, ask advice from those
who know a bit about it and perhaps join a local gardening club. THEN, you
figure out where to put the clothes line, the children's play area, the
dog's play area, the dustbins, the bonfire site, the compost heap......
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
)