Designing Your Feng Shui Garden

For many on lockdown during Covid-19, the garden has become a place of refuge and
regeneration. Every structure within the garden, be it a gate, a sculpture, a container or wall creates its own energy. Whether the energy is good or bad depends on placement in relation to doors, other plants and the orientation of your house. In order to create good energy, balance and harmony must be maintained. Anything that is straight, sharp or angular should not be used to avoid creation of any poison arrows.

Spend time in your garden

A beautiful garden with masses of healthy plants and beautiful flowers is one of the best indications that a home is enjoying good feng shui. It reflects healthy yang energy which is synonymous with prosperous, happy and vibrant chi. If you want good feng shui, you must invest a little time and effort making the land around your home and garden come alive with beautiful plants and flowers. A lawn that is full of weeds and a garden that is unattended with wild and dead plants creates too much yin energy.

In order to design your garden, you will first need to try to draw a site plan of your garden with boundaries – the boundary may be a fence or hedge. Next, place a layer of transparent paper over the plan and draw a nine-square grid to cover the area of your garden. When you superimpose the paper onto your plan try to get the sectors as accurate as possible – you will need this to identify the compass sectors of your garden. Some corners or sectors may be missing, depending on the shape of your garden.

Plan on decorating your garden according to the 5-element theory of each sector. For example, in the east and southeast the wood element prevails, and spring is the dominant season. This is a place of growth so leafy plants, flowers and bamboo are good choices.

In the South, the element of fire rules. Use garden lighting here and red is a good choice for flower colour. This is also a good area for bird feeders to attract birds to your garden.

Water feature in North is excellent

In the North, the element is water with colours of blue and black. A water feature is excellent here along with a turtle sculpture or black tortoise.

In the West and Northwest, the ruling element is metal and the colour is white. Consider hanging some metal windchimes here. There are many gorgeous white flowers to choose from if you are planting in this sector.

The Southwest, Center and Northeast belong to the earth element. Colours here are earthy like ochre, yellows, brown. Use of pebbles, stones and rocks is good – perhaps you can create a small rock garden. Make sure the rocks you choose are rounded and not threatening in anyway. Remove fierce or hostile rock and do not place close to your house as it will attract nothing but bad luck to your family members.

Suggested auspicious trees, plants and flowers: Jade plant, Money plant, Bamboo, Pine tree, Peach tree, Orange tree, Lime plant, Silver Crown. Flowers: Peony, Chrysanthemum, Plum Blossom, Narcissus, Lily, Magnolia, Lotus, Orchids.

Lillian