West-facing gardens

Design for afternoon sun, warmth and evening use

A west-facing garden is one of the most rewarding orientations to work with. It receives afternoon and evening sun, the part of the day when most people actually use their outdoor space. After work, at weekends, during summer evenings, the light is warm, the temperature is comfortable, and the conditions suit both outdoor living and a wide range of plants.

Across Kingston, Surbiton, Richmond and Cobham, west-facing gardens are common in streets running broadly north to south, and they are a feature of many Victorian and Edwardian terraces where the rear garden looks towards the setting sun. They tend to be more forgiving than north-facing gardens in terms of plant choice and more comfortable than south-facing gardens in high summer, because the worst of the midday heat has passed by the time afternoon sunlight reaches the space.

That said, west-facing gardens do have specific characteristics that are worth understanding before making design decisions, particularly around heat management in summer, moisture retention and the management of strong afternoon light in exposed conditions.

If you are unsure about your garden’s orientation, or want to understand how aspect affects design and planting decisions across the site as a whole, start with our guide: Garden orientation, what it means for your garden design.

What a west-facing garden is really like

A west-facing garden receives no direct sunlight in the morning. The space is in shade until late morning or around midday, at which point the sun begins to move into the garden from the south-west. By mid-afternoon, much of the garden is in direct sun, and this continues through to early evening. In summer, the last light of the day falls on west-facing gardens, which creates the warm, golden evening conditions that make them so well-suited to outdoor entertaining and relaxation.

In practical terms, this means:

• Morning shade: the garden is cool and shaded until mid-morning, which suits certain plants and reduces moisture loss during the night and early morning.
• Afternoon sun: from approximately 1pm to 2pm onwards in summer, strengthening through the afternoon.
• Evening warmth: the garden retains warmth well into the evening during spring and summer, extending usable time outdoors considerably.
• Lower winter sun: in autumn and winter, the afternoon sun angle is lower and the garden receives less warmth, though this is characteristic of all orientations at this latitude.

The biggest variable is exposure. A sheltered west-facing garden, bounded by walls, fencing or established hedging, will be noticeably warmer and calmer than an open west-facing plot that receives the prevailing westerly wind directly. Surrey and South West London gardens are exposed to south-westerly weather systems, so wind management is worth considering as part of any design for an exposed west-facing site.

Designing for afternoon sun and evening use

Seating placement

The single most important design decision in a west-facing garden is where to put the primary seating area. Because the afternoon and evening sun comes from the south-west, seating positioned in the centre or western half of the garden will be in direct sun during the most pleasant part of the day. Near the house, the building itself may cast shade across the patio from mid-afternoon if the house is to the east.

In practice, this means:

• Avoid placing the main seating area immediately outside the back door if the house casts a shadow across it in the afternoon, this is a common mistake in west-facing gardens.
• Consider a secondary seating area further from the house, away from the shadow line, where afternoon and evening sun falls unobstructed.
• If the garden is long enough, a terrace at the far end can capture late evening sun that the area near the house misses.

The most common layout error in a west-facing garden is a patio immediately outside the back door that sits in the shadow of the house by 2pm. Observing where the shadow line falls at different times of day before finalising patio placement will avoid this.

Managing summer heat

West-facing gardens can become very warm in summer, particularly in exposed conditions or where there is a large amount of hard paving. Unlike south-facing gardens where heat peaks at midday, west-facing gardens accumulate heat through the afternoon and hold it into the evening, when the garden is most in use.

If the garden is primarily used for entertaining in the evening, this is largely an advantage. However, in very exposed or heavily paved spaces, seating areas can become uncomfortably hot in mid-afternoon. The most effective responses are:

• A pergola positioned over the main seating area, this creates filtered shade without blocking the evening light entirely, and provides an architectural focal point that suits the scale of most residential gardens.
• Lightweight shade sails or retractable canopies, effective for temporary midday shade without permanent structure.
• Planting a small tree in the south-western area of the garden, this casts afternoon shade over the seating area while allowing lower-angled evening light through beneath the canopy. Amelanchier lamarckii, Prunus × subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’ and multi-stem Betula cultivars are all well suited to this role in Surrey gardens.
• Avoiding large continuous dark paving surfaces, dark porcelain or slate absorbs heat significantly and radiates it back through the afternoon and evening, increasing discomfort.

Material choices

In a west-facing garden, paving materials should be chosen with both aesthetics and heat management in mind. The same principles that apply to south-facing gardens are relevant here, though the issue is concentrated in the afternoon rather than at midday.

Lighter-toned materials, pale limestone, mid-tone sandstone and off-white porcelain, reflect more heat than dark materials and remain more comfortable underfoot through the afternoon. Indian sandstone in mint fossil or buff tones works well, as does limestone in Portland or Jura. These materials also photograph well in the warm west-facing light, which tends to flatter natural stone with warm orange and yellow tones.

Timber decking is a strong option in west-facing gardens, particularly where the garden is used primarily in the evening. Decking warms more slowly than stone and feels comfortable underfoot. Hardwood and composite decking both perform well, and composite materials have the advantage of consistent maintenance requirements in a garden that, in exposed west-facing positions, will be subject to weather from the prevailing direction.

Planting for west-facing conditions

West-facing gardens support a wider range of plants than either north-facing or particularly exposed south-facing gardens, because the conditions are balanced, not too shaded, not too hot, with reasonable moisture retention during the shadier mornings. The afternoon and evening sun suits a very wide range of ornamental plants, and the slightly drier conditions that develop through the afternoon favour Mediterranean-inspired planting particularly well.

The following table sets out reliable choices by planting type for west-facing Surrey gardens, with notes on their specific contribution to the space.

All plant names in this document follow the RHS Plant Finder nomenclature. Scientific names are given in italics with authority omitted for readability. Cultivar names appear in single inverted commas.

Managing moisture and soil in west-facing gardens

West-facing gardens experience a particular moisture pattern: the soil remains relatively cool and damp through the morning, then dries progressively through the afternoon as sun and wind increase evaporation. On Surrey’s clay soils, this can mean alternating between waterlogged conditions in winter and surface-dry conditions in summer, a combination that limits plant establishment if not addressed during construction.

The most effective approach is to improve the soil structure during the build stage rather than after planting. Incorporating organic matter, well-rotted garden compost, green waste compost or composted bark, before planting improves the clay’s capacity to drain in wet conditions and retain moisture when it dries. A mulch layer applied in spring helps considerably, retaining moisture through the warm afternoons and suppressing weeds without smothering the crown of established perennials.

In very exposed west-facing gardens where wind increases evaporation significantly, an irrigation system, even a simple drip-line arrangement along borders, can make the difference between plants establishing well and struggling through their first two seasons. We regularly install drip irrigation as part of new garden builds for this reason, particularly in exposed or higher-specification planting schemes.

Wind in west-facing gardens

The prevailing wind direction across Surrey and South West London is from the south-west. In a west-facing garden, this means the open boundary faces directly into the prevailing wind, which can have a significant effect on comfort, plant establishment and moisture retention.

A solid fence alone is not the best response to wind. Solid barriers create turbulence on the leeward side, effectively redirecting the wind downwards rather than stopping it, which can be more damaging than the unobstructed wind itself. The most effective windbreaks are permeable: they filter and slow the wind rather than blocking it entirely.

Practical options include:

• Slatted or hit-and-miss timber fencing, which allows partial air movement while providing privacy and reducing wind speed.
• Established native hedging using Carpinus betulus (hornbeam) or Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn), both of which tolerate exposed conditions and provide excellent wind filtering once established.
• Pleached trees along the western boundary, this is particularly effective in gardens where a higher degree of screening is needed without the visual weight of a solid fence.
• A combination of structure and planting, fence panels for immediate effect with hedging or shrubs planted in front to develop over three to five years.

Where a client garden has a particularly exposed western boundary, we assess the wind exposure as part of the initial site survey and factor boundary treatment into the design specification from the outset. Retrospective windbreak installation is significantly more disruptive than planning for it from the beginning.

Lighting in west-facing gardens

West-facing gardens are the orientation that benefits most from evening lighting. Because the natural light conditions are at their best in the afternoon and early evening, well-designed artificial lighting extends the comfortable use of the garden through the later evening, both in summer and through the shoulder seasons of spring and autumn.

The most effective approaches for west-facing gardens:

• Warm white LED uplighting of trees and specimen plants, this creates depth and draws the eye through the garden once natural light has faded. The warmth of the light tone is important, cool white lighting works against the relaxed, social character of the space.
• Integrated step and path lighting where level changes exist, this is both practical and creates visual interest after dark.
• String lighting or festoon lighting within pergola structures is very well suited to west-facing entertaining gardens and requires relatively simple installation at the build stage if conduit is planned in advance.
• Avoid flood or security lighting as a primary aesthetic choice, it dominates the mood of the garden and works against the atmosphere that west-facing gardens naturally create in the evening.

All electrical installation in our garden projects is carried out by qualified electricians working to current BS 7671 wiring regulations. Outdoor circuits should be treated as a planned element of any new garden build, not an afterthought.

Common mistakes in west-facing gardens

Placing the patio in permanent afternoon shadow

As noted above, the house itself will cast a shadow to the east. In a west-facing garden, this means that a patio positioned immediately adjacent to the back of the house may be in shade during the afternoon, the opposite of what is intended. Checking where the shadow line falls at 2pm, 4pm and 6pm in the growing season is a simple step that prevents this.

Over-planting for shade

West-facing gardens do not require the same approach as north-facing gardens. It is a common mistake to over-specify shade-tolerant plants, ferns, hostas and shade-loving ground cover, when the site actually receives several hours of direct afternoon sun. Most of these plants will tolerate west-facing conditions, but the garden will perform better with a planting palette that reflects the actual conditions rather than the feared ones.

Ignoring wind exposure

In sheltered urban gardens, wind is not a significant issue. But in gardens with open western or south-western boundaries, particularly in the larger suburban plots of Esher, Cobham and Thames Ditton, failing to address wind exposure leads to plant losses, uncomfortable seating conditions and increased maintenance. Assess the boundary situation carefully before finalising the design.

Dark paving that holds heat into the evening

This is worth repeating as a specific issue for west-facing gardens where evening use is a priority. Dark stone or porcelain absorbs heat through the afternoon and radiates it back in the evening, which sounds appealing in theory but in practice creates uncomfortably warm seating conditions on summer evenings. Lighter tones give a more comfortable temperature and generally suit the warm west-facing light better aesthetically.

Related pages

• Garden orientation, north, south, east and west, the complete guide
• East-facing garden design ideas and planting guide
• South-facing garden design ideas
• Best plants for south-facing gardens
• North-facing garden design ideas and solutions
• Windy gardens, designing for shelter and protection

Services

• Garden design and build
• Planting design and installation
• Hard and soft landscaping
• Garden lighting design and installation
• Irrigation systems

Frequently asked questions

Are west-facing gardens good?

Yes. West-facing gardens receive afternoon and evening sun, the conditions that suit outdoor living and entertaining particularly well. They are among the most comfortable orientations for gardens that are primarily used after work and at weekends.

What plants grow well in a west-facing garden?

A wide range of plants thrive in west-facing conditions. Roses, salvias, lavender, ceanothus, agapanthus, echinacea and ornamental grasses all perform well. Climbers including Trachelospermum jasminoides and Lonicera periclymenum are excellent on west-facing fences and walls. The planting table above covers reliable choices by category.

Do west-facing gardens get too hot?

In exposed or heavily paved conditions, west-facing gardens can become warm in summer afternoons. This is best managed through a combination of lighter paving materials, shade from a pergola or small tree, and a planting scheme that includes some height and canopy. A garden designed with these factors in mind should be comfortable throughout the season.

Where is the best place for a seating area in a west-facing garden?

Away from the shadow cast by the house in the afternoon, often in the central or far section of the garden. Observing where sunlight falls at different times of day before finalising the design will identify the best position. A secondary seating area near the house is useful for morning use when the main area may be in direct afternoon sun.

Do west-facing gardens get morning sun?

No. West-facing gardens are in shade during the morning. Sunlight begins to enter the space from the south-west around midday and strengthens through the afternoon. This makes them less suited to morning outdoor use than east-facing gardens, but significantly more usable in the afternoon and evening.

Is wind a problem in west-facing gardens?

It can be, in exposed positions. Surrey and South West London gardens face south-westerly prevailing winds, and an open western boundary is directly exposed to this. Permeable boundaries, slatted fencing, hedging or pleached trees, are more effective than solid structures for filtering wind without creating turbulence.