Dark corners

Hi could anyone tell me the best place to get a reflective type of material to make a dark corner of my garden lighter please.

What type of material are you looking for - stone, paint or what?

White gravel is good. What abourt a couple of solar lights?

How about using a mirror  - this can also make your garden seem bigger. You can use any old mirror but indoor ones do degrade over time.

Re Dolores' suggestion we used a creamy stone mulch on a very shaded bed (north facing, no sun at all) and it was surprising how much difference it made. Not just to make it look brighter but the plants also seemed to benefit as well and grew much better than previously.

If there's a fence or wall behind you can try painting it with white/pale colours.

Some evergreen shrubs have shiny leaves that will reflect some light as well. Others have pale or varigated leaves which also help 'lighten' up an area. J.

I'd go for light rather than reflective. If it's really dark there's no light to reflect. Mirrors have implications for birds. They try to fly through them, not surprising really, a well placed mirror looks like a way through.

nutcutlet wrote (see)

I'd go for light rather than reflective. If it's really dark there's no light to reflect. Mirrors have implications for birds. They try to fly through them, not surprising really, a well placed mirror looks like a way through.

Do birds fly through mirrors?- I seem to recall being told they avoid them as they see another bird flying towards them?-don't garden designers use mirrors in their designs to give the impression of gardens looking bigger?

Happy to be proved wrong

Dolores Umbridge wrote (see)

What abourt a couple of solar lights?

Solar light need direct sun light....not something you normally get in a dark corner!

Light gravel does work from experience.

Oh how nice of you all to respond......very interesting. I was thinking of a mirror or sheet of material that would reflect in a similar way??

The corner is dark, as it is triangular rear garden but have large front garden that is sunny so the idea is to reflect it!

Is it the whole of your rear garden? or just a corner? Gardening in shade isnt a problem, just a different style.

Also it depends what is causing the shade- is it just the aspect or are there walls, fences, overhanging trees etc? The cause can influence the best way to limit the effect. J.

The mirror idea sounds the best option-look in charity shops,car boot sales etc

Thanks for all your advice, the real question is where do I get a mirror suitable for outdoors without paying astronimical price for! Seen one but it was 190 pounds!

With referenct to other comments....it isnt about planting anything as its basically shingle, just want more light in the back.

No -don't bother -buy the cheapest one you can find for your needs-ok the backing will deteriorate over time but then just buy another one-there was a similar discussion a few weeks back-will see if I can find it

fairy54-here you are

http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/garden-design/use-of-mirrors/29062.html

Thanks a lot sotongeoff, and lily girl, good advice