Wine Bottle Border

[lleighmay]

So I've been saving green wine bottles for quite some time now in hopes of making path/planting borders in my new herb garden this spring. Now that construction time is nearly upon me it occurred that I should ask if anyone has done something like this, and if they've had a problem with the bottles freezing and breaking in the winter. I live on the edge of zones 6/7 (mostly 7) and it does get down to single digits here sometimes, but usually not for long. My plan was to dig a trench and upend the (capped) bottles so that about 4 inches stick up above the ground, then tamp soil around them. I'd just hate to go to all the effort only to have them burst like bombs come next winter. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[hoodat]

How do you keep your borders straight after drinking all that wine?

 

[lesa]

I have seen this done. Found it while wasting time on the computer!! Sorry I don't remember where... It looked really cool. The bottles were put into the dirt -opening down. I think as long as the bottles don't get water in them, they will be fine.
Also, saw somebody do the border with dinner plates, put down into the dirt, about half way. Very cute!
We will have to see pics of your finished project!!

 

[bid]

Hi lleighmay and welcome. I have never tried using bottles for this purpose so my advice is based on no experience. I don't think you would have a problem with them bursting due to the cold. I would worry a bit about debris thrown off from a lawn mower, that would make a mess pretty quick!

 

[lleighmay]

hoodat- aren't curving borders supposed to be quite the thing in the garden?!? thanks everyone for your quick replies. I think I'm going to go ahead and do it. Like any gardening project, if it doesn't work out like I hoped I'll just redo it. No problem on the mower throwing stones- this herb garden is my solution to making my 20 ft deep front yard disappear entirely.... it's about 3 feet up from street level. I've already got a picket fence around it so some paths and herbs are the next step since it gets great southern exposure... plus a small gravel patio so I can sit out there late at night and stargaze. I live in the middle of nowhere on 1 acre, but when they built the house in the 30's they put it smack up next to the road. Oh well, that leaves more room for the dogs, chickens, and garden projects in the back! I'll be sure to post pics once I get it looking the way that I want.

 

[lesa]

Sorry I didn't offer you a proper "Welcome"- I didn't notice it was your first post! Don't wait till it is perfect to post a pic, we love to see a project in process! Have you seen the "bottle trees"? I drive past a garden that has a dead tree in it- on each of the branches a colored bottle... Looks kind of neat! One of the catalogs is selling a metal gadget for that purpose, as well. Happy Gardening!

 

[jojo54]

First welcome.

I don't know about bottle borders but just one thought on borders in general for you to think about. We moved in here a few years ago and the owner had been sick so no yardwork for several years. The used rocks partly dug in around the flower beds and everything was very weedy plus grass grew into the bed as well. We dug up the rocks and put in the edging that you bury and can mow over. I do not like to have to use an edger (the yard is too big to do those kinds ofm things) so we wanted to be able to cut the grass right up to the flower bed. I may put rocks back in around the edge at some time but they would be inside the other edging so they don't get filled with grass. This is just my opinion but food for thought as I would have thought a rocky edging would look nice except it would be alot of work.