Don t shine light only on shaded plants.
Garden mirrors to reflect sun.
They are just as reflective but much more durable than glass and better suited for outdoor use.
And the obvious point is if you have any doubt about their safety don t use them.
Mirrors can either reflect or redirect light.
When the sun hits the mirrors the light and heat are reflected and sent to whichever spot you ve designated up to 25 feet away.
Avoid using mirrors outdoors especially outside of winter.
Solar powered motors adjust the mirrors to reflect the maximum.
While highly unlikely in the garden you still don t want them facing the sun.
If any of your garden plants are spindly reaching for the sun or smaller than they should be they may benefit from reflected sunlight as well.
Mounting a mirror in the brightest section of your garden and directing it towards the darkest area is a great way to improve the light your garden gets.
How to use mirrors to increase the sunlight in your home.
Mirrors are a popular way to create the illusion of space in a garden but they will also reflect light and heat from the sun.
Mirrors and shiny metal panels reflect sunlight effectively but also intensify and redirect light so readily as to burn foliage or cause undue heating of the plant increasing water needs.
They actually sell mirrors for gardens here.
When it s not practical to place a mirror right next to a planting area however often the mirror can be placed at an angle so that it redirects light to the area.
You can re adjust the mirror or move the plant.
Just watch where the sun s reflection hits the garden so that the intensity of the sun s reflection doesn t hit any plants too much for their needs.
Consider investing in an acrylic or polycarbonate mirror.
Using mirrors in a garden will help reflect light into your garden.
Place your mirrors in shaded areas where they will not directly reflect sun.
British designer lucy norman s sun sill builds on this idea using windowsill mounted mirrors to bounce scarce sunlight into dark interiors.
Some homes seem dark inside even in broad daylight due to lack of windows facing outdoor sunlight.