If your garden furniture never feels quite as comfortable as you'd like, the problem might not be what you've chosen, but where you've put it. Whether your garden is north or south-facing can significantly affect how much sun and shade each area receives throughout the day, meaning the right placement can make all the difference.
Here, we share where to position furniture in north and south-facing gardens for the best balance of sun and shade.
Where should you place furniture in a south-facing garden?
South-facing gardens are known for their long hours of sunshine, but that doesn't necessarily mean your furniture should sit in the brightest part of the garden.
'The sunshine can feel wonderful, particularly if you enjoy entertaining outdoors or alfresco dining,' says Loren Taylor, garden expert and founder of the Soothing Company. 'However, excessive sun can make a seating area uncomfortable, especially mid-morning or mid-afternoon.'
Instead, it's better to position your main seating area somewhere that offers natural shade or where shade can easily be introduced. 'In a south-facing garden, I would usually place the main seating area somewhere with a bit of shade, or somewhere easy to add shade,' explains Loren.
This may be under a tree, by a wall, beneath a parasol, or alongside a pergola.
'In a really sunny garden, the ideal place for furniture is often not the sunniest part of the garden, but the place where people will actually be able to relax comfortably,' he adds.
The same principle applies to dining furniture. 'A dining area that gets too hot or sits in bright sun through lunch usually will not be used much,' Loren tells us. Instead, dining furniture works better tucked into a shaded corner.
Where should you place furniture in a north-facing garden?
With less direct sunlight throughout the day, north-facing gardens require a different approach. Rather than chasing shade, the aim is to make the most of every patch of warmth.
'For north-facing garden spaces, the brightest spot is usually the best choice,' explains Loren. 'This can be in a corner or at the end of the garden, where it receives either morning or evening sunlight.'
It's useful to observe how sunlight moves across the garden before deciding where furniture should go. 'Being significantly shadier, consider where the garden gets the most sun as it moves from east to west,' Loren says.
Shelter should also be factored into your plans, as even sunny corners can feel chilly if they're exposed to the wind. 'Placing seating in areas protected by boundaries, planting, walls, or even a raised bed creates a more sheltered and private space,' he adds.
Ultimately, there's no substitute for simply spending time in your garden before committing to a layout.
Watching the garden and observing how the sun falls throughout the day is key to successfully placing furniture.
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