How to use garden mirrors

I have always been a lover of garden mirrors. Mirrors are a great design tool, available in every shape and size, but mostly because; a well-placed mirror in the garden can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary!  For more help and advice watch our design videos

What’s so great about garden mirrors?

Mirrors have 4 main functions in any garden,

Having said all that though, getting a the mirror placement right can be a bit tricky and there are some rules to follow. The key point is this though, it is what the mirror does that is the important bit and not what the mirror looks like that is important.

For example, take a look at these pictures of mirrors in the garden. Which ones look the best. But more importantly, why do they look better?

Lightening darker corners

Every garden has it’s dark dingy corner and mirrors are brilliant at increasing light levels. The key to the mirror becoming a feature and not a discussion point (oh, there’s a mirror there’) is how the light is reflected back into the space.

The worst thing the mirror can reflect is direct sunshine and the sky, it will just look odd, the mirror needs to only reflect ambient light. Angle the mirror so that from your favourite seating area, the mirror will reflect back an image you want to see. Then try to conceal the edges of the mirror, it’s just the light you want to notice and not the mirror itself. This placement is almost right, the edges of the mirror need to be disguised to create a better illusion.

(image A Jones)

Adding depth to a garden

A mirror in the garden is absolutely brilliant at this, but in order for it to work well, the reflected image should as far as possible be plants and not open space.

That is because as you walk past the mirror, you or part of you will be reflected too. Motion is something we always notice, so the reflection or anyone walking past will pop out ruin the illusion.

In this image the mirror is less noticeable as an object, but it creates a gap in the wall. Sadly birds will fly through what they think is a gap killing or injuring them!

Helping to conceal ugly objects

What could be better, you hijack a nice view and reflect it in front of a not so nice view. In order to achieve this, the mirror must be large enough to conceal what’s behind. Planting around the mirror will also help divert attention, especially if the planting moves as this further breaks up the visual lines of the offending object behind.

(#Shedart – a new trend for the next lockdown maybe?)

Using mirrors as a piece of sculpture.

All gardens need something nice to look at. In most cases, plants form the main artistic features. Flowers come and go, plants grow, change colour and it all adds to the garden performance. But objects can enhance a garden too. The most fundamental rule from placing any sculpture in the garden is to ask the following question.

‘When sitting outside, where does my gaze naturally fall’

Adding a sculpture in that area of the garden will add to that view. If however, where your gaze naturally falls highlights a less than attractive feature, sculpture can be used to draw your attention elsewhere.

(It doesn’t have to be expensive either. This is an old window frame with mirrors not glass)

In order to achieve this, you must also use other design tools to reframe the garden.

Lots of lovely people asked us to design their gardens – take a look can you spot any mirrors?