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Post by goth on Jun 18, 2008 22:49:34 GMT 1
I'm thinking of adding a long mirror behind my new lavender border. Mainly for the aesthetic value, but also for privacy from my next door neighbour 
She's a dear, but will come out and have a 'nose' everytime we sit outside for coffee and a chat, or to eat. I like my privacy in certain parts of the garden, you know, if I want to sit quietly and read a book or something.
The lavender border is situated in front of a 6 feet high metal and wood trellis fence, on which I have clematis and virginia creeper growing. The lower part of the fence doesn't have much growth on it ...that's why I decided to plant the lavender...to help fill in the void lol.
Anyway, I've been looking at those acrylic mirrors you can get cut to size. I would need one 12 feet by 2 feet. Just enough to clear the height of the lavender and give us some privacy while I'm waiting for the lavender to establish.
Have any of you used mirrors in your gardens? How weather proof are they and were you pleased with the effect?
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Post by madonplants on Jun 18, 2008 22:56:45 GMT 1
I'm thinking of adding a long mirror behind my new lavender border. Mainly for the aesthetic value, but also for privacy from my next door neighbour
She's a dear, but will come out and have a 'nose' everytime we sit outside for coffee and a chat, or to eat. I like my privacy in certain parts of the garden, you know, if I want to sit quietly and read a book or something.
The lavender border is situated in front of a 6 feet high metal and wood trellis fence, on which I have clematis and virginia creeper growing. The lower part of the fence doesn't have much growth on it ...that's why I decided to plant the lavender...to help fill in the void lol.
Anyway, I've been looking at those acrylic mirrors you can get cut to size. I would need one 12 feet by 2 feet. Just enough to clear the height of the lavender and give us some privacy while I'm waiting for the lavender to establish.
Have any of you used mirrors in your gardens? How weather proof are they and were you pleased with the effect? I haven't Goth and wouldn't as they are bad for birds, who are prone to fly into them. Sorry to mention that. |
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Post by goth on Jun 18, 2008 23:09:27 GMT 1
I haven't Goth and wouldn't as they are bad for birds, who are prone to fly into them. Sorry to mention that. 
I think It'll be ok though, as the mirror would only be 2 feet from ground level and fronted by the lavender. The birds tend to sit on top of the trellis and rarely go any lower because of our cat. |
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Post by 4pygmies on Jun 19, 2008 7:08:55 GMT 1
I haven't got the sort of garden where a mirror would look appropriate and I would worry about the birds too anyway, but I have seen it used to very good effect in a small space where privacy is wanted and I think it looks really lovely. If you can site it where it reflects a pretty plant, or gives the impression of a larger space, it can make a huge difference. I can just picture you sitting in a green, leafy area, Goth, secluded but sunny with a fantastically gothic frame around your mirror curled up with a book ;D If you have no worries about birds crashing into it then I would do it - why not?  And have you ever thought about using tall topiary in pots to gain more privacy Goth? Some standards cut into balls (or whatever - something witchy or medieval maybe) would prevent your neighbour from seeing in and she wouldn't be able to snip at them either! You could decorate them at the appropriate seasons for welcoming good spirits etc. I always fancied that, but have never got round to it. Just a thought anyway.. |
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Post by goth on Jun 19, 2008 9:06:54 GMT 1
Here's a picture to give you all more of an idea of what I have in mind: As you can see, I've already planted the lavender, and can you see the gap behind them...where the climbers should be? The mirror would only come up as far as the wire mesh that sits behind the black metal trellis. I'm hoping that the climbers will trail down long enough to soften the edges of the mirror eventually.
My neighbours garden is lower than ours [about 4 ft], so when she stands by the metal trellis she can see straight in.
The topiary sounds a lovely idea, but as you can see, I'd have nowhere to put them
It's english lavender. I chose it for the fragrance ;D
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Post by Sleepy on Jun 19, 2008 9:12:39 GMT 1
Given that situation an acrylic mirror sounds like a brilliant idea.
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Post by goth on Jun 19, 2008 13:37:18 GMT 1
It's Lavendula augustiflora. I think it's english anyway...
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Post by 4pygmies on Jun 19, 2008 14:15:29 GMT 1
It's Lavendula augustiflora. I think it's english anyway... It is the old fashioned English Lavender which is a wonderfully fragrant plant and which will grow into a large bush if you let it, so good choice for a screen, Goth |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 19, 2008 17:02:41 GMT 1
I was going to bring a couple lavendula augustifolia plants (sown from seed this year) to the BBQ if anyone wants one.  |
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Post by debbiem on Jun 20, 2008 17:49:07 GMT 1
I think it's a great idea Goth and would look lovely, especially when the edges are softened by foliage. I have a defunct mirror ball in my flower bed under our silver birch tree. The tree has a Lilac Lady Lavatera twining in and out of it and there is just enough of the ball in view to catch the light now and again. The mirror ball was bought by my OH a few years back and used to be battery operated to revolve and catch different coloured lights that were shone on it while it went round. So when it ground to a halt and the battery bit packed up it was just hanging around doing nothing and I think it looks good, with flashes of light spangling through the foliage every now and again. We had the opposite problem with the level of our neighbours' garden - whoever built her house and the one next to it should have been shot as they included balconies that her and her neighbour were forever on with a full sweep of our garden. They took full advanage of these balconies and were horrible people to the point we couldn't live there and moved to this present house. We had the council round while we were there who said what we could and couldn't do with regard to screening, which wasn't much as it was a Conservation Area. They could see our situation and sympathized but did suggest that we would be allowed to put up a 3M pergola within the regulations. I think your mirror sounds a really good idea. Nosey neighbours should be rounded up and transported to a particular place where they can all nose at each other and leave the rest of us in peace! |
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Post by goth on Jun 23, 2008 22:49:49 GMT 1
Nosey neighbours should be rounded up and transported to a particular place where they can all nose at each other and leave the rest of us in peace!
*Pretty please?* |
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Post by madonplants on Jun 23, 2008 23:38:56 GMT 1
Mrs B, I will never understand why you can put in a 100 ft tree, but can't erect a fence taller than say 6ft or 2m, depending on which council you have. It's just silly in my view.
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Post by debbiem on Jun 24, 2008 10:50:14 GMT 1
Nosey neighbours should be rounded up and transported to a particular place where they can all nose at each other and leave the rest of us in peace!
*Pretty please?*Here you are Goth;    |
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Post by debbiem on Jun 24, 2008 10:53:07 GMT 1
Mrs B, I will never understand why you can put in a 100 ft tree, but can't erect a fence taller than say 6ft or 2m, depending on which council you have. It's just silly in my view. Ridiculous isn't it Keith? And trees take a long time to grow and aren't a quick fix! We spent a fortune on large trees and shrubs to try and get some privacy in that garden, and three years on all those trees and shrubs must be a lot bigger and worth even more now!  But I bet that even now with a mini forest in that garden the trees have got to get a lot bigger before they'll blot out those nosey old b*gs.  |
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Post by bogmyrtle on Jun 24, 2008 13:05:01 GMT 1
Goth, I think that will look wonderful!
I stopped our nosey neighbour at the side of our house (the back of theirs is at the side on the front) and she would watch everyone down our end of the close from an upstairs window. I was in the front garden one Sunday and she watched me for about an hour or so! I was so fed up of it I just turned to her window and waved! ;D She never did it again and would scurry away when she saw us outside!
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Post by debbiem on Jul 9, 2008 10:20:01 GMT 1
I've just read about putting a mirror behind a clump of bamboo which makes the garden look bigger and gives a feeling of having more space than you actually do have. It looks quite effective and would solve the bird problem as you only see glimpses of the mirror between the bamboo. How about that, Goth? Where is Goth lately?  |
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Post by 4pygmies on Jul 9, 2008 10:36:07 GMT 1
That mirror ball looks great MrsB! Do you get caught out by the flashes though? OH and smallest spent some time hanging up old CD's in the cherry tree to keep the birds off and the intermittent flashes stop me in my tracks every time... : I really like the idea of the mirror behind the bamboo too - it would work behind any shrub that was open enough or in the right position wouldn't it? Sounds like the sort of thing we could all do....hmm... |
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Post by debbiem on Jul 9, 2008 10:49:52 GMT 1
I haven't been caught out yet but then again I think it's got enough foliage around it to counter any flashes and it's not hugely sunny where it is either. I don't think the sun hits it in a way that would catch you out really...maybe I should bring it forward ever so slightly.
The mirror behind the bamboo would work with anything, wouldn't it? In the article they used alternate strips of slate and mirror as they said the effect of using just mirror would be too much, but that's very faffey and surely that depends on the denseness of the shrub? It's given me a few ideas too.......
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Post by debidoos on Jul 9, 2008 21:33:30 GMT 1
We have quite a few hanging spinny twirly sparkly things in the garden (MIL is a bit of a magpie) and I have to say we still have a full quota of birds, from woodpigeons down to bluetits and Wrens and just about everything else in between!
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Post by goth on Jul 28, 2008 14:39:09 GMT 1
I love the mirrorball MB...very effective! I like the bamboo idea too I stopped our nosey neighbour at the side of our house (the back of theirs is at the side on the front) and she would watch everyone down our end of the close from an upstairs window. I was in the front garden one Sunday and she watched me for about an hour or so! I was so fed up of it I just turned to her window and waved! ;D She never did it again and would scurry away when she saw us outside!
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Post by Sleepy on Jul 28, 2008 14:44:23 GMT 1
I love the mirrorball MB...very effective! I like the bamboo idea too I stopped our nosey neighbour at the side of our house (the back of theirs is at the side on the front) and she would watch everyone down our end of the close from an upstairs window. I was in the front garden one Sunday and she watched me for about an hour or so! I was so fed up of it I just turned to her window and waved! ;D She never did it again and would scurry away when she saw us outside! That's nice |
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Post by goth on Jul 28, 2008 15:16:16 GMT 1
LOL. Are you deliberately trying to wind me up?
Huh? ;D
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Post by Sleepy on Jul 28, 2008 15:18:30 GMT 1
LOL. Are you deliberately trying to wind me up?
Huh? ;D I like friendly neighbours. It's better than having nightmare neighbours from hell. In fact my neighbors always wave and say hello, even if I am quietly sunbathing in my thong. |
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Post by goth on Jul 28, 2008 15:19:50 GMT 1
LOL. Are you deliberately trying to wind me up?
Huh? ;D I like friendly neighbours. It's bteer than having nightmare neighbours from hell. ;D |
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Post by Sleepy on Jul 28, 2008 15:23:41 GMT 1
I like friendly neighbours. It's bteer than having nightmare neighbours from hell. ;D This is true. One man's hell is another man's heaven. |
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But I bet that even now with a mini forest in that garden the trees have got to get a lot bigger before they'll blot out those nosey old b*gs. 