Landscaping with Glass Mulches

Going green is still a hot trend in decorating and landscaping, and one new trend in going green is the use of recycled glass mulches. If you’ve dreamed of fiery reds and oranges or calming dark violets and emerald blues, then it may be time to add them to your garden’s palette with glass mulch.

What Does Garden Glass Mulch Add?

Garden glass mulch uses tumbled glass to add more color to commercial properties and residential gardens. By using recycled glass materials, which are both inexpensive and extremely low-impact in their production, property owners can add unique notes of contrast and depth of color. Here are some of the benefits to using this form of mulch in walkways, decorative pits, and more.

• Glass takes a millennium to decompose, meaning it won’t leach harmful chemicals and toxins into soil or rainwater.
• Glass is permanent thanks to its lifespan, which means that it will not need to be replaced. The colors that are found in the mulch will not fade
• Glass mulch can be mixed into concrete, or used in sidewalks to create a unique tile effect. It’s also useful in non-skid applications and surfaces.
• Glass is a natural slug repellent.
• The mulch has a wide variety of applications, including parking lots, fish ponds, and driveways.

A True Glass Act

When one thinks of glass, one may not think of strewn piles of the substance as anything but dangerous, but the exact opposite is true of decorative glass mulch. This glass has been tumbled until it has no sharp edges, making it safe to use in family environments.

Because it comes in so many different colors, it is easy to match your mulch to a particular landscaping application. Yellow landscape glass mulch, for example, may make the best compliment toward a sun-themed garden or landscaping display, while a glass melange of blues, beiges, and greens can make an eye catching display in a large scale fish pond outside of a business. Darker reds and ambers are also a wonderful contrast to some of the other colors that can be found in nature during certain times of the year, and can even be changed or added to as the seasons change for a more “natural” transformation.

Heat-Friendly

Another popular application of glass mulch is in fireplaces and firepits. Glass mulch makes a wonderful compliment to an open flame, as the firelight creates a dazzling color show. More importantly, the common melting temperature of glass is 2700°F, far higher than what a conventional fireplace could reach. Some glass can even withstand temperatures as high as 4200°F before melting.

Additionally, glass will not scorch black if it has been treated properly, and while it is not a good idea to put glass directly into any exposed flames, you won’t have to worry about smoke charri

ng your glass and inhibiting its ability to shine. Glass mulch offers great functionality and design in the right landscapes.