Our gorgeous garden mirror guide

You know sometimes you see something on TV that you never forget? Here’s our garden mirror guide. But first, let’s explain the ‘never forget’ bit!

Roll back time more than a decade and Gardener’s World had put a new team of worryingly judgemental presenters in place. In one of their first programmes they decided to inform the nation that having mirrors in the garden was the ultimate in naff, along with Pampas grass and a few other beloved outdoor classics. We fumed, and we boycotted the programme until the delightful Monty Don returned 😉

A creative garden mirror guide

In our experience a garden mirror is a marvellous thing. Hung from tree branches or garden fences, garden walls and outbuildings, or even sunk part-way into the ground like silvery gravestones, mirrors create a sense of space it’s impossible to get any other way. They glint and glimmer, throw shards of light around, give you fresh and unusual views of the space, and create exciting illusions.

You can put old indoor mirrors outdoors, of course, but bear in mind that over time the silvering can come off and leave you with a patchy look or even, eventually, just a sheet of glass.

Some old mirrors from indoors might degrade outside but it doesn’t always happen. We’ve had our current crop of ten garden mirrors out there for seven years so far and they’re still silvery, still amazing to look at, even though some of then have wooden frames and date back 100 years.

The only issue we’ve had so far with vintage mirrors is washing a 1930s mirror discovered hidden in the garage to get the dust and dirt off, then leaving it on the lawn to dry – and seeing the grass die back to a dirty yellow-brown fuzz as the mercury in the silvering wore off. The result? A curious dead hexagonal patch on the lawn that didn’t grow back to green for months.

Lesson learned – it’s best to be very careful with old mirrors and whatever you do, don’t touch an old mirror if the silvering is flaking off. You might poison yourself, your kids or pets.

Fortunately for everyone’s safety, you can buy purpose-made garden mirrors that take the risks into account. Which is exactly what we’re showing you in this article. Aren’t they fantastic?

In winter they sparkle as they move in the wind, in summer they peep out from the greenery for a subtler look. At dawn and dusk they look spectacular.

All the mirrors in the photos are brand new, designed with a permanent place in the great outdoors in mind. They won’t flake or chip, break or crack, unless you fit them badly and they fall off the wall. Some have a traditional design, others are 100% contemporary.

The trick is to follow the maker’s fixing instructions to the letter. No short cuts. The surface you hang it on has to be firm, strong and man enough for the job. The fixings you use must be the right ones for the job, not just any old nail or screw. It’ll need placing so it doesn’t move in the breeze or crack if your wooden fence moves in a high wind.

Unlike some vintage mirrors made for indoor settings, these handsome modern garden mirrors will happily stay in the garden all year. Just give them a good clean, again according to the manufacturer’s instructions, to keep everything in good nick. You should be able to cover any dinks and gaps that develop on the frames over the years with exterior paint the same colour as the frame.

As you can see from the images, you don’t have to hang them. These modern garden mirrors look just as good stacked against a wall or fence. Just lean them at a safe angle so that passing kids, pets, and grown-ups who’ve had one too many won’t be able to knock them over.

One garden mirror set in the right place can add serious drama to your outdoor space. A collection of odd numbers, 3 or 5 or 7, looks magical hung together in a group. Use the same style or mix and match different designs for a visual feast you’ll love looking at, with reflected views that change with the seasons.

This Gothic-style arched mirror shows you how the surface reflects the view so it looks like there’s another garden, a mysterious area beyond the ‘window’. If you like you can arrange potted plants creatively so your garden mirrors reflect exactly what you want them to reflect. Cool look! And imagine them places so they reflect the garden pond, fountain or water feature? Splendid.

So are you inspired to add reflections to your garden? Explore our garden mirror collection and see which strikes your imagination most.