Outdoor mirror

HardyEustace

Just wondering if anyone has an outdoor mirror?

Was it easy to source?
Was it expensive?
Was the installation difficult?
How is it weathering in the irish climate?
What kind of maintenance is required for it?

Thanks

Sonnenblumen

Using mirrors in gardens is not a good idea as they are lethal for causing injury to birds.

Wally Runs

I have used them in the past. I sourced some broken mirrors and got them cut down locally and drilled with holes. Fixed them to the wall as you do inside the home. The backing will come off over time but that adds to the look.

As for the birds, we did have a very aggressive blue tit that used to attack its reflection every spring (thinking it was another tit on its patch). We had to cover the mirror until things settled down.

HardyEustace

What are the alternatives? The garden is 5m x 10m so I wanted to put something on the back wall that would draw the eye to the end of the garden and lengthen it a bit.

looksee

How about an old fashioned type wooden door, painted an interesting colour, like a garden door, with a 'frame' and climbing plants growing round it. It would imply that the garden was longer.

Sonnenblumen

HardyEustace wrote: »

What are the alternatives? The garden is 5m x 10m so I wanted to put something on the back wall that would draw the eye to the end of the garden and lengthen it a bit.

You can exaggerate perspective by reversing order planting, ie tall plants nearest and smaller plants furthest.

Another way is to use colour darker tones near and lighter tones on rear wall (dark tones bring boundaries nearer, lighter tones push them away).

You can also use structures (trellis, arbors, pergola) to re-inforce perspective.

You could paint a pastoral scene or fix a grid which accentuates a perspective view.

You can profile lawn area to highlight a perspective, eg, widest width at foreground and tapered towards opposite end.

However if you're planning on only using rear wall then colour might be best option.

elven

Would a mosaic of mirror tiles be less dangerous to the birds than one big sheet mirror maybe?

gizajob

Maybe something like this would suit
http://www.primrose-london.co.uk/acrylic-garden-mirror-plain-sheets-p-368.html