Fairygirl, I bought some acrylic mirror type tiles in Ikea for a very small price, they ae slightly faceted so the birds avoid them (no, I don't understand it, but it is so) and they give wonderful broken light effect patches where it is normally dark. Come t think of it, I must get them out of the shed and hang them up - I put them away when it is very cold as I suspect that they are not very hardy, just a coating of silver paint on plastic, but they are great draped in various growth !!
Just back from a few days in Cornwall, visiting Pentillie Castle last Saturday, and getting my 15 seconds of fame when I was interviewed by ITV News West Country!
Spent yesterday evening at the allotment planting cauliflower and calabrese plants which have outgrown the GH - nice and relaxing job, and pleasant too, as temperatures yesterday were 70 or more. Can't decide which is best, at the allotment in lovely warm weather, or back in Cornwall? Probably the latter!
I think the only prob is preventing birds flying into it but if you position it the right way it should be ok . Slightly hidden is the answer I think. Or some planting carefully 'draped' so that birds would be going slower towards it anyway.
You can buy garden mirrors which are acrylic but they're pretty expensive I think.
I think the only prob is preventing birds flying into it but if you position it the right way it should be ok . Slightly hidden is the answer I think. Or some planting carefully 'draped' so that birds would be going slower towards it anyway.
You can buy garden mirrors which are acrylic but they're pretty expensive I think.
Fairygirl, I bought some acrylic mirror type tiles in Ikea for a very small price, they ae slightly faceted so the birds avoid them (no, I don't understand it, but it is so) and they give wonderful broken light effect patches where it is normally dark. Come t think of it, I must get them out of the shed and hang them up - I put them away when it is very cold as I suspect that they are not very hardy, just a coating of silver paint on plastic, but they are great draped in various growth !!
Thank you both for this information A day in the garden today so will be trying to visualise the reflected angles. Things are taking shape, I'm a happy gardener!
What a lovely thread! I haven't found it until now.
I have some acrylic mirrors in the garden framed with driftwood that I bought in a craft show in Dorset. They were under £20 each. The reflection is not as natural as glass, though. There's nothing exciting to reflect in this small garden except greenery and, sadly, absolutely no vistas, but they do allow the eye to travel a bit further and help soften the boundaries. The best we could manage for vistas was to reclaim the bit if land that held the greenhouse, which is longer than the rest of the garden, and put a bench at the end of it and a curved path leading to the bench. I have started to plant the borders around the path. A large clematis planted last year will, I hope, start to grow over an arch to help hide the houses behind without stealing too much of their light. That thought makes me happy!
Happiness is relative, and after you have been stung by a much loved bee that seemed to go banzai when I sat down on our garden bench, it dive bombed me, set to at my nose, got straight in on my arm, and gave me a most irritating injection of venom. Perhaps a bad day at the hive ........? There mus be easier ways of relieving Rheumatizz than being walloped by a bee !
I'm new to the forum, but just wanted to say how lovely Busy-Lizzie's garden looks. I'm happy as all my cucumbers have germinated..in the dining room. The conservatory has potted on tomatoes & chillies. The greenhouse doing well, beans & peas germinated,lettuce showing...sprouting broc' germinated looking forward to some wonderful veg & salads. Got to put up my wigwams & sew the spinach today. Maybe some more radishes.
Hope the weather is kind and you all have a good gardening day.
busy lizzie.. i went to sissinghurst back at easter.. as was dissapointed.. most of the gardens were fenced off.. the spring garden.. the only one in flower was closed.. and the only things up were heelebores and primroses.. thou it was cold.. it was not happy paying full price for the gardens when we couldnt go round have of them.
i am happy now spring is here.. my fav time of the year in the garden.. have sown lots of summer annuals and veg in last few weeks and they are all shooting up with this warmth.. and i love it. only problem now is i have to prick them all out and pout up.. i use the paper pots i make with the wooden pot maker i got for xmas last year from my little lad.. they are great pots.. as thye break down so you can transplant without breaking any roots.
the tuplips are now opening up and the wood pigeons are nesting in my large verbnium bush right my office window.. so can check them out from inside wihtout bothering them.
the gardens i just coming alive with the warm sunshine of late.
Posts
Fairygirl, I bought some acrylic mirror type tiles in Ikea for a very small price, they ae slightly faceted so the birds avoid them (no, I don't understand it, but it is so) and they give wonderful broken light effect patches where it is normally dark. Come t think of it, I must get them out of the shed and hang them up - I put them away when it is very cold as I suspect that they are not very hardy, just a coating of silver paint on plastic, but they are great draped in various growth !!
Spent yesterday evening at the allotment planting cauliflower and calabrese plants which have outgrown the GH - nice and relaxing job, and pleasant too, as temperatures yesterday were 70 or more. Can't decide which is best, at the allotment in lovely warm weather, or back in Cornwall? Probably the latter!
What a lovely thread!
I haven't found it until now.
I have some acrylic mirrors in the garden framed with driftwood that I bought in a craft show in Dorset. They were under £20 each. The reflection is not as natural as glass, though. There's nothing exciting to reflect in this small garden except greenery and, sadly, absolutely no vistas, but they do allow the eye to travel a bit further and help soften the boundaries. The best we could manage for vistas was to reclaim the bit if land that held the greenhouse, which is longer than the rest of the garden, and put a bench at the end of it and a curved path leading to the bench. I have started to plant the borders around the path. A large clematis planted last year will, I hope, start to grow over an arch to help hide the houses behind without stealing too much of their light. That thought makes me happy!
Happiness is relative, and after you have been stung by a much loved bee that seemed to go banzai when I sat down on our garden bench, it dive bombed me, set to at my nose, got straight in on my arm, and gave me a most irritating injection of venom. Perhaps a bad day at the hive ........? There mus be easier ways of relieving Rheumatizz than being walloped by a bee !
I'm new to the forum, but just wanted to say how lovely Busy-Lizzie's garden looks. I'm happy as all my cucumbers have germinated..in the dining room. The conservatory has potted on tomatoes & chillies. The greenhouse doing well, beans & peas germinated,lettuce showing...sprouting broc' germinated looking forward to some wonderful veg & salads. Got to put up my wigwams & sew the spinach today. Maybe some more radishes.
Hope the weather is kind and you all have a good gardening day.
busy lizzie.. i went to sissinghurst back at easter.. as was dissapointed.. most of the gardens were fenced off.. the spring garden.. the only one in flower was closed.. and the only things up were heelebores and primroses.. thou it was cold.. it was not happy paying full price for the gardens when we couldnt go round have of them.
i am happy now spring is here.. my fav time of the year in the garden.. have sown lots of summer annuals and veg in last few weeks and they are all shooting up with this warmth.. and i love it. only problem now is i have to prick them all out and pout up.. i use the paper pots i make with the wooden pot maker i got for xmas last year from my little lad.. they are great pots.. as thye break down so you can transplant without breaking any roots.
the tuplips are now opening up and the wood pigeons are nesting in my large verbnium bush right my office window.. so can check them out from inside wihtout bothering them.
the gardens i just coming alive with the warm sunshine of late.
Welcome KEF, hope all your veg do well
Have just confirmed that mother blackbird is sitting again
And I have some seeds germinating
Lots to look forward to 
I counted 27 different types of veg I've planted, they all seem to be doing well except for peppers; will have to go and buy some seedlings