AS the sun starts to shine regularly, many homeowners will be looking to spruce up their outside space.
And one garden-lover transformed her backyard with a few B&M buys.
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Taking to the Facebook group Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group, Rachel Fowles shared pictures of the finished result.
She captioned the photos: “Added some mirrors to the garden, my space is extremely small, wanted to make it feel bigger!
“Mirrors B&M £6 each, lights above B&M £1 each, lights below B&M think they were £12 for 4!
“Added a homemade trough to finish it off!”
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Tina Taylor Was Del-Piano commented: “What a great idea looks fab.”
Amanda Shearmon wrote: “Clever well done. I have put a mirror on my small balcony and really works well.”
Wendy White said: “What a difference, well done x”
Many were impressed with the transformation but pointed out how the mirrors might confuse flying birds and could be a fire hazard if the sun shone directly on them.
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Heather Icke remarked: “Looks good but watch out for the birds that fly into them thinking it's more garden space and any sun reflections that could catch fire.”
Vicky Wine agreed: “Looks lovely but I'd be worried about the birds flying into them.”
Nicola Sims said: “Lovely idea it looks fantastic. Just be careful the sun doesnt reflect onto anything flammable.”
Rachel edited her post to add: “So you are aware, my mirrors are placed in an area that gets absolutely no sun...
"You can see in the reflection of the mirror where the sun is, it misses this wall completely!
Love Island's Amy Hart turns 'half done' garden from drab to fab with B&M glow up & shows how she keeps pesky flies away
“Also you can see my very tiny garden has absolutely no trees so unfortunately I don’t get any birds.
“I don’t know why I should justify my design in my little garden but I felt that so many people have commented about the safety hazard and I wouldn’t want anyone who wants to do this in their own garden to be at risk!”
Rachel previously shared the other elements of her garden that she transformed on a budget.
Can you have mirrors in your garden?
Soraya Interiors explained: “A common worry for some individuals is the potential for birds colliding with garden mirrors, although such incidents are less frequent than everyone assumes.
“As time passes, the reflective glass gradually loses its sheen and will blend in with the natural surroundings as it weathers through rain, dust, and cobwebs, which may make it less conspicuous to birds.”
As for whether mirrors in the garden are a fire risk, the experts say to “strategically position your mirrors to avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, especially if reflective beams may intersect with combustible items”.
Strategically position your mirrors to avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight
They added: “As time passes, the growth of hedging and plants around the mirror can obstruct direct sunlight, diminishing the risk.
“In such cases, diligent watering of the foliage during summer prevents drying out, ensuring they don’t become a hazard due to reflections.
“Keeping the nearby grass well watered is also a prudent precaution.
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“Choosing a shaded location for your outdoor mirror is a popular practice, not only enhancing the aesthetics of the area but also mitigating potential hazards.
“This shaded placement not only lightens and brightens the surroundings but also provides an ideal spot for hanging or positioning a mirror.”
How To Make Your Small Garden Look Bigger
Garden design expert Fiona Jenkins from MyJobQuote.co.uk has created a guide on how to make your small garden look larger.
Add shelves - for additional storage and place to hold more plants.
Use foldaway furniture - to take up less space when not in use.
Add privacy - with fencing, trellis, brick walls or hedging.
Add a water feature - to make your garden seem like a natural retreat.
Go bright - when choosing plants, opt for bold colours to make the space pop.
Use large planters - to get more plants in less space.
Plant vertically - add plants upwards to make your garden seem fuller, and therefore, bigger.
Use blue flowers at the edges - blue flowers and plants recede into the distance and make the garden appear bigger.
Grow tall plants - it's better to think big when it comes to a small garden.
Keep clutter a minimum - as it can give the illusion of less space than there actually is.
