Add a Touch of Sparkle With Recycled Glass in the Garden

Flowers and foliage provide us with so many ways to add color and brightness to the garden, but what about when the seasons change and the hibiscus has dropped its last cherry-red bloom or the flush of fall color has faded? How can we have a little more garden sparkle year-round?

Touches of recycled glass in the garden can be a great way to add that bit of shine you’re after. Whether it’s simply arranging a display of vintage glass bottles in the center of a picnic table or covering a path with pieces of tumbled glass, here are seven ways to artfully add recycled glass to the garden.

1. Repurposed glass bottles. Here is upcycling at its finest. Instead of tossing the bottles from that last party into the recycling bin, save them for an outdoor pendant light. You can create your own, if you’re the crafty type, or you can keep an eye out at your local garden store or nursery if the DIY route isn’t your thing.

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A trip to a flea market or antiques store can offer up a selection of vintage glass bottles. Arrange a grouping of bottles in one or multiple colors on an outdoor table on their own, or use them to showcase buds or sprigs from your garden.


2. Glass floats. Glass floats were once used by fishermen to keep their nets and drop lines afloat. True vintage floats are now collectors’ items, but new re-creations are also available. They come in a variety of colors, like green, blue and purple. Try hanging one or more from a tree where the sun’s rays can shine through and cast colorful patterns on the ground. Glass floats also look beautiful floating in a birdbath, pond or bowl of water.


3. Topping for a fire pit. Broken or tumbled pieces of glass make a clean, modern surface for the top of a fire pit. Glass pieces are particularly good at dispersing the flame, due to their small, uniform size, creates numerous air channels for gas to seep around.


Tip: Choose a fun color that picks up the hues used in the landscape for an extra dash of interest; be sure to use a material that’s intended for use in a fire pit.


4. Path or bed detail. When laying out your garden paths and beds, designate an area that can be covered with a layer of glass pieces. For a surface that people or animals will be walking on, tumbled glass is the safest option, due to its lack of jagged or sharp edges.

Tip: Put down a layer of landscape cloth first to keep the glass from sinking into the soil over time. Lay down at least 1 inch of glass to make sure the surface has ample coverage. (About 7 pounds of tumbled glass will cover 1 square foot to a depth of 1 inch.)


Adding an unexpected material with color and sparkle that requires no watering is a clever way to break up a large bed.


Tip: Be sure to use an edging material such as aluminum or steel to keep the glass pieces in place.

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5. Patio surface. Try using recycled glass pieces for the floor surface as a fun alternative to gravel and to help delineate the transition from one space to another. Glass is more expensive than gravel, so it’s a good idea to keep it contained to a small area. As in the outdoor dining area above, use edging to keep the material from migrating.


6. Bed dressing. You can spruce up the garden beds around an entry to your home by covering them in a layer of colored glass mulch. It will add an unexpected color burst and elevate the garden. You can look for glass mulch at your local nursery or retail building supply company.

Tip: Typical rock garden plants, such as sedums and echeverias, which prefer quick-draining sandy or rocky soil, work best in beds that have been topped with glass mulch.


Tip: You can go bold and use big chunks of glass as well.


7. Container garden top-dressing. If covering an entire surface or garden bed is just a bit too much for your style or budget, try using pieces of recycled glass as top-dressing for your container garden. It’s a great way to add a bit of color that ties in with the color of your plantings and pots, and it will give the containers a polished look.

There are so many fun ways to incorporate recycled glass in the garden. Not only is it attractive, but it’s also a great way to reuse.

Tell us: How have you used recycled glass in your garden? Please post a photo in the Comments.

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