DIY An Inexpensive Garden Path Using Repurposed Glass Jars

Got a garden and a trash can overflowing with glass jars? Then we've got great news — you've got all you need to DIY a unique and affordable garden path. By partially burying glass jars bottom-up along the pathways of your garden, you can design one-of-a-kind upcycled art that guides you through your earthy oasis. 

More good news — there's usually minimal digging or tools involved. You'll just need glass jars and a standard garden digging tool. The glass jars can be any kind — old Mason jars, repurposed bottles from wine, milk, water, or beer, or even old jugs and pitchers. And since the glass is recycled, this can be a super budget-friendly backyard project. For your digging tool, a garden trowel is probably going to be heavy-duty enough to tackle digging the necessary holes. You might require a cultivator tool or weeder if the ground is a bit more dense.

Consider how you want to configure the glass containers along your pathway. Do you want them to dot just the sides of a path or be included on the walkway to act like stepping stones? Do you enjoy the look of glass jars touching side by side or scattered farther apart? Do you prefer them to be almost entirely embedded, level with the ground, or only partially buried to show off the shape of the glass? Any of these ways can look fantastic — this is all your personal preference.

To start your project, gather your glass jars. Then, start to dig with your trowel or cultivator. For jars positioned close together, it's helpful to dig a shallow trench and position them within the trench. If needed, you can use some additional sand, mulch, or dirt to fill in the spaces and stabilize the glass bottles. Mulch, in particular, can be a great tool for preserving moisture in your garden. For jars spaced further apart, digging small individual holes where you want each to go is the more efficient route.

Since you're not cementing these along the path, there is a lot of flexibility here — if you don't like the look, you can keep rearranging until you do. You can also add your own personal touch to the pathway design. For instance, you could insert a strand of twinkle lights into a line of glass jars whose bodies are partially exposed for an enchanting guided path at twilight. If you realize you have more glass containers than you need to create your path, there are tons of other ways you can repurpose glass wine bottles in your garden.