Garden Mirrors

A garden mirror is the small-garden trick that makes a 4-metre patio feel double its size. Sized 60-150cm tall, framed in metal, weatherproof timber or composite resin, and positioned on a wall or fence to reflect a planting scheme. Cherry Lane Garden Centres, Choice Furniture Superstore and Cox and Cox between them cover £15-£350 across the range. The frame matters more than the glass; cheap MDF frames sold for indoor mirrors swell and fail outdoors within a season. Look for marine-grade plywood, cast aluminium, or weathering steel frames. Glass type varies too: standard mirror glass corrodes from behind in damp conditions; outdoor-rated mirror glass has a sealed back that holds up. The right position is somewhere natural that reflects greenery, not the back of the shed. Place at eye height (1.5-1.7m centre) and angle slightly downward for a natural reflection. Bird-strike risk: angle the mirror so it reflects the ground or shrubs, not open sky.