Simple Feng Shui Gardening Techniques

 

It’s springtime and gardening time.  However, before you begin any landscaping project, it’s a good idea to review how to incorporate feng shui principles into your garden design. Note that if the area and air that surround your home don’t reflect a balance of the elements and encourage the chi to settle you will not enjoy good feng shui inside your home.  Even if you aren’t planning a complete redo of your garden, it’s worthwhile to brush up on your garden feng shui techniques and make any necessary changes.

Size of the Garden

First of all, it doesn’t matter if your garden is large or small.  You can always “expand” the space as much as possible visually using patterns, shapes and plants.  No matter what the size, try to have an attractive, meandering pathway that directs auspicious energy to the entrance of your home.  Stay away from straight pathways or sidewalks that create poison arrows and speed up the energy moving toward the house. 

Use the Element Theory in Your Design

This is an easy approach to use.  Stand outside your main door and determine the compass orientation of your garden.  It may fall predominantly in one of the four cardinal directions (north, south, east or west) or one of the four secondary directions of your lot.  If you have a garden in front and behind your home, you will have two separate orientations to consider.

Once you identify the orientation, you are ready to apply the equivalent elements to energize the good luck of your garden as follows:

North Orientation (garden located in north sector of your lot) – this is associated with the water element so place some water feature here – design your garden around small pond or birdbath.  Since metal produces water, you can incorporate some metal design into the pond or surrounding it.

Incorporate bird sculpture in south

South Orientation: This sector is ruled by the fire element and is the location of the phoenix. Keep it well-lit and incorporate an attractive bird sculpture.  Think fire colours and shape as you choose the flowers here.

East Orientation: East has big wood as the ruling element; place ornamental trees, bamboo and flowers here.  Since water supports wood, you can have a small pond or water feature as well.

West Orientation: West is ruled by the small metal element – add round shapes and metal windchimes or bells here.

Southwest Orientation: Southwest is ruled by the big earth element so an oriental approach with pebbles and stones are best here.

Southeast Orientation:  This is the home of small wood – small leafy plants and flowers work well here.

Northeast Orientation:  This is the sector of the small earth element, so pebble or rock gardens are a good choice for garden design.

Northwest Orientation: This is the home of big metal, so think about using large metal sculptures and windchimes if your garden spot is in the Northwest.

Reminder:  Check the destructive cycle of the elements to determine what kind of objects could be harmful to the energies of the specific orientation of your garden.  For example, if your garden is located in the North sector (water), earth energy such as pebbles, stones and boulders will kill the beneficial effects of the water energy.  Design your garden using a water feature with fish or frogs to add yang energy and keep the water moving. Make it the focus of your garden design.

If you are not familiar with the 5-element Theory and how to apply it, simple click here for a step-by-step guide and free report.

Happy gardening!

Lillian