The sun rises in the east and sets in the west so it sounds as though your back garden faces east. You can check compass points with your watch, Point the hour hand to the sun at any time of day and the six then indicates north. (You can allow for Summer Time if you want but with a small watch you can't tell that accurately anyway.)

Thanks Steragram, I had a feeling it WAS East, i'll try that the next time the sun comes out!!! Ha ha!!

Another quick check is that the sun sits due south at midday 12.00 GMT, 13.00 BST ( as now) . Needs sun!

"i'll try that the next time the sun comes out!!"

Some time next year then?

:^)

Sun, sun, let me think, what is that - oh yes, its that bright light we rarely see...
Sounds eastfacing for sure...

Thanks Oj and Bamboo, yes Anchorman, probably ! :-/

I have always wanted to know this too but I am hopeless at trying to work it out, I get the sun until about 12am at the front and then all afternoon and evening in the back so would my back be west facing, also even more confusing is that along one border gets only a little bit of sun even though the garden is sunny, so does that make that border East????? Your going to think I am a complete idiot...

An east-facing border would get sun in the early morning. But you have to take into account anything that might cast a shadow, such as a neighbouring building. I'm sure you're not an idiot!

Where is the border that doesn't get much sun, Marion, front or back and on the right or left or end if you have your back to the house? And is there something that blocks the light from that border, like a large tree or a house or structure?

See I told you I was an idiot, the border which does not get much sun is in the back garden, it is the only part that is shaded, if I have my back to the house it is on my left hand side, we have a house next door to that border which I presume will be blocking out the light Doh, I did not think of that, I have been reading so much about what to plant here, there and everywhere that I just presumed it was an East border. Is my garden west facing in the back as someone said it was south facing but I just thought that south facing was the front as it gets the sun until midday.

If your back garden is fully west facing, then next door won't be blocking the light in high summer, because the sun travels from East to West, in your case, from the front of the house to the back, making an arc in the sky over the top, if you can imagine that. Therefore, at no point will the house next door be able to shade your garden except possibly in winter, when the sun is lower in the sky.
I suspect you're not fully east at the front nor fully west at the back - what I'm trying to decide is whether the back is west/north west or west/south west... but it probably doesn't matter, effectively, its more or less west at the back and east at the front. The border on your left at the back will be facing north, roughly.
What you need is a compass app in your phone... although because magnetic north is swinging pretty wildly now, its still only a rough guide...

Your ever so clever Bamboo, thanks for that, I shall re read it again to digest it. If its any help at all the sun is now beating down and with my back to the house, the shady area is on the left and the sun is slightly to the left but will be in the middle of the back of the house soon, perhaps it does not go right to the middle I will keep checking which position it sets in. I did a sky my hubby to get me an app but as he has no interest in gardening what so ever he did not bother but I will pester him tonight. Do you know which is the best app to use Bamboo?

Nope, just I suspect the Apple store probably has one... I can't believe you've got sun, its grey as November here and has been all day... and not that clever, or I'd know whether its west/nw or west/sw...
My son just told me his fancy all singing all dancing smartphone has a compass in it as standard...

Marion, try the trick with your watch that I described in the first answer. Always works, that is if the sun ever shines again!

If you have an I phone Marion the compass comes as standard application already installed with software

Steragram....maybe Marion has a digital watch :)))))

Ah, Scottish, that must be what my son's got then...

Didn't know they were still around! Admittedly using one of those would be a challenge - but you could use the kitchen clock instead. If everything's digital then I retire defeated!

Bamboo....they even have a spirit level app - there is very little you can't do with a mobile phone nowaday!!
Steragram - the digital age is catching up with us all :)

I think there are more analogue watches around now than there were 20 years ago for all that.

You are right Steragram, digital watch fad just didnt last did it? Personally I don't wear a watch as they aggravate me.