Understanding which plants to use in your west-facing garden can help you create an impressive outdoor space. Trying to grow plants that are not suited to your space can be expensive and result in an unhappy garden. Here are some of our team’s expert tips to create a thriving space in your west-facing garden which you can enjoy for many years to come.
Which way does my garden face?
To work out whether your garden is west-facing, stand with your back against the outside wall of your house, facing your garden and look at a compass. Whichever direction is straight ahead of you is the way your garden ‘faces’.
Pros and cons of a west-facing garden
In a west-facing garden, direct sunlight will fall over your garden in the afternoon and evening making it the perfect spot for an alfresco afternoon tea, pre-dinner drink, or BBQ. You may miss the morning light and the afternoon sun will tend to be hotter so with this intense exposure, plants and growing material will need to be selected with some care.
Embrace the evening sun
When laying out a west-facing garden, look at where the sun falls and think about the potential of these areas as a dining space, adding pots of herbs or other scented plants to enhance your enjoyment.
Some plants, such as Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), Tobacco plants (Nicotiana sylvestris) or native Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) give out their scent in the evening so are a perfect addition to your space if you plan to be outside while the sun shines. Jasmine and Honeysuckle are both climbers so will thrive on a west-facing wall or pergola.
What are the best plants for a west-facing garden?
Shade-loving plants are best avoided in a west-facing garden as the afternoon sun will prove too hot. But there are plenty of options which will thrive, giving you both structure and colour.
- Camellias: Camellias love the morning shade offered in a west-facing garden and come in a variety of colours from whites, pinks, and reds. Their glossy, evergreen leaves offer year-round interest and structure.
- Roses: Roses are a quintessential part of an English summer garden and can be used to great effect in a west-facing space either with shrub varieties in a border or try placing a rambling rose against a west-facing wall.
- Geraniums: Geraniums love baking in the hot afternoon sun and hardy varieties will pop up year after year offering low maintenance colour.
- Daffodils: Plant Daffodil bulbs into the ground in the late autumn or early winter and enjoy the early heralder of spring they bring the following year. Tulips will also love a west-facing space and can be planted at the same time.
- Magnolias: Magnolias are a beautiful addition to a west-facing garden and depending on the variety, can flower in late winter, spring, or summer.
Vegetables for west-facing gardens
The hot afternoon sun afforded by a west-facing plot will allow you to grow lots of herbs and vegetables in your garden, including tomatoes and peppers. Elderflower in particular will love this aspect and the flowers and berries can be used to make cordials, teas or even wine.
South and east-facing gardens
Does your garden face another way? Our handy plants for east-facing gardens and a plants for south-facing garden blogs have all the answers you need!
Get the basics right with Earth Cycle
As with all gardening, getting the basics right in a west-facing garden will aid successful growing. To increase your chance of success, our peat-free Soil Conditioners, Topsoils and Composts are the perfect choice for your outside space.
We offer free delivery across the UK, so order your bulk bags of topsoil or compost today for curbside delivery.
