Orientation of Home in Eagle/Meridian best for a backyard garden (Boise: rental, house)

[goosemonkey23]

We are looking at building in either Meridian or Eagle, but we've never lived in that climate. I'd love to grow a vegetable garden in the backyard and I'm wondering what would be the best kind of lot for us? Which way should our house face? I've read South facing is good for melting snow. But maybe I should be east/west facing for better sunlight? Let me know if you have any insight. Thanks!

[sunflowersinthegarden]

We lived in a rental that had the driveway facing east and the backyard facing west. Snow melted decently, but it was a little rough with so much sunshine at the back of the house. You could just feel the heat radiating there. The backyard did fine. Most of the front yard was north facing and I didn't try to grow anything.



Now I live with a north facing driveway and full south backyard. Surprisingly, it's been cooler overall because the neighbors west of us lined the fence with trees that are at least 50 feet tall. So we get to skip a few hours of more heat in the summer afternoons and evenings. We also have a couple BIG trees on the east side of our house, so we don't warm up the house too early in the summer either. Plenty of sunshine in the south facing backyard for a garden and more.



As for the snow in the north facing driveway, yes, I have to do a little more shoveling than my neighbors, but as long as you get to it as soon as the snow is done falling, it's really not a big deal.

[goosemonkey23]

Thank you! It is really helpful to hear from someone who has experienced a couple of different orientations. I think I'm leaning towards a north/south direction. I want a lot of windows in the house, so I don't think I'd want to face east because of the hot sun that would hit the back of the house. Do you think it's all the same between north facing and south facing as far as a backyard garden goes?

[sunflowersinthegarden]

If you have a north facing backyard, you will simply have less full sun spots. You would probably lose a good 10 feet from the north side of the house due to shade. If you're talking acreage, not really a big deal at all.

[FIGHTONSC]

Your house ideally should face south, but your main point was about your garden.

Depending on how large your backyard is and the obstruction height surrounding it will be the determining factor. We have an unobstructed 1/3 acre backyard and could plant a garden virtually anywhere in it if desired once we get about 15 feet (morning shadow) away from the back of the house.

Hope this helps,

JR

[nowhereman427]

They don't get much snow in Eagle, Boise or Meridian do they?

[benchfan]

Our house faces west with our living spaces to the east. We get morning sun and evening shade which is perfect. We have veggies in the side yard which is south facing and gets a ton of sun. Afternoon sun melts the driveway when it does snow (which is not that often, but still it's nice). I love an east-facing back yard. In a new neighborhood without mature trees even a north-facing yard will get a lot of evening western sun from the side.

[goosemonkey23]

Well...I'm coming from Las Vegas, so any amount of snow is snow to me

[goosemonkey23]

Originally Posted by FIGHTONSC

Your house ideally should face south, but your main point was about your garden.

Depending on how large your backyard is and the obstruction height surrounding it will be the determining factor. We have an unobstructed 1/3 acre backyard and could plant a garden virtually anywhere in it if desired once we get about 15 feet (morning shadow) away from the back of the house.

Hope this helps,

JR

Thanks for your input! Makes sense about it depending on obstruction height. Curious about your reasons for saying "your house ideally should face south."

[goosemonkey23]

Originally Posted by benchfan

Our house faces west with our living spaces to the east. We get morning sun and evening shade which is perfect. We have veggies in the side yard which is south facing and gets a ton of sun. Afternoon sun melts the driveway when it does snow (which is not that often, but still it's nice). I love an east-facing back yard. In a new neighborhood without mature trees even a north-facing yard will get a lot of evening western sun from the side.

Thanks! That is helpful. I think west facing would work well for us as well. I was also leaning towards north facing (so that I can have lots of south sunshine in the backyard), but then there was the comment about an ideal house should face south... Maybe I'm overthinking it and can make anything work!