DIY Network

Mirrors Can Work Magic in Gardens

Master gardener Maureen Gilmer, host of Weekend Gardening, explains how mirrors can be used to create various illusions in the garden.

advertisement

	Well-framed and dripping with vines, these mirrors defy the solid barrier they hang on with the illusion of virtual space. (All photos courtesy of Maureen Gilmer)
	Where overhead structures prevent exposure to the elements, you can use an ordinary mirror to enhance the sense of outdoor space.
	To fool the eye another way, this weatherproof roll-down canvas gives this tiny space a "view" of a nonexistent garden.

Use a mirror to create 'magic' garden space

By Maureen Gilmer

June 25, 2007 — Sleight of hand is what makes magic acts so confounding. Your eye is betrayed by tricks that seem to defy all we know about physics. Yet they are so effective we have no choice but to suspend our disbelief.

There is magic of a similar kind wrought by the skills of garden designers. It's the technique of creating visual space where none exists. This ability to trick you into believing there is more there than meets the eye is called trompe l'oiel, the French term for "fool the eye."

The traditional and most common example of French trompe l'oiel is the art of trellage. This arrangement produces trellis systems, which use an artist's forced perspective to make it appear as though there is greater depth. This works exactly the way an artist does with a painting. While this geometric system of lines on a contrasting background can be effective, it doesn't work well outside formalized landscapes.

There is a simpler way to achieve this sense of artificial space that's cheaper and adapts to virtually all garden styles. It solves many problems unique to small-space outdoor living or urban postage-stamp gardens bounded by oppressive walls.

Imagine if you could borrow some real estate to create a whole new garden room to look into.

As you sit in a tiny claustrophobic patio, a window on another world could change the entire sense of place. The technique to create such magic: exploit reflection with mirrors.

A mirror reflects everything in front of it to virtually double the sense of space. We use them often indoors to make rooms seem larger. It works just as well in the garden. The size and position of a mirror can provide you a tantalizing, albeit artificial view.

If you're using a mirror on walls beneath eaves or solid roofing, any type is suitable. But without cover, rain can damage the silvering on the back of a standard mirror made for interior use. For this situation, order an all-weather outdoor mirror for seasonal or year-round applications. To make the effect work perfectly, you must fix the mirror solidly to the background. If it is hung by a wire it will tilt, giving you too much floor or sky. That just won't fool the eye.

When considering the size of an outdoor mirror, match the scale of gateways and windows to give it a more realistic look. Decide if it is to function best when sitting or standing. Be certain of what is reflected in the mirror from those important viewpoints to get the illusion just right.

A full-length mirror created to hang on the back of a door provides a natural-looking portal in the garden where it's placed. It should be flush with the ground in order to completely pull off such a hoax.

If it is set into planting, be aware that splashes when it rains may spot the mirror. Ditto when it comes to nearby water features. In those cases, raise it up a few inches for clearance.

Mirrors about the size of a window allow you to look out upon a fictionalized garden room. These, too, should be clearly visible from the most-often-used outdoor living area and reflect a pleasing picture of the garden.

Give your mirrors a sense of permanence with framing. Bundle sticks into a rustic frame, and tack it to the wall around the mirror. Haunt garage sales for cheap mirrors. Seize battered metal or wrought-iron framed ones. Those in disintegrating wood frames are good for at least one season of fun.

Plants are the best way to give a faux view a realistic appearance. Arches of vines shrouding the edges cover a multitude of clues.

Pack the space with color and flowers to ensure that each reflection is as gardenesque as possible.

(Maureen Gilmer is a horticulturist and host of Weekend Gardening. E-mail her at mo@moplants.com. For more information, visit: www.moplants.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)

Get DIY On Your TV. Just follow the instructions to see if DIY Network is available through your cable or satellite provider.