Written by Barbara Gee
When designing a garden space it is important to be clear about what kind of environment you want to create. Do you want a peaceful meditative garden, an action-oriented space, a funky whimsical spot, or a kitchen garden? Whatever kind of garden you decide on Feng Shui dictates that it should be built and treated with love and respect. Gill Hale, in The Practical Encyclopedia of Feng Shui, writes “In the garden we are in partnership with other living things. If we work with them, balance and harmony will follow.”
It may not be within your power to determine the natural phenomena in your garden but you can still have a forceful hand in the installation and placement of the plants and garden features. With an understanding of the principles which govern Feng Shui (see Part 1, Vol. 4, Issue 6) you can choose furniture, plants and colors which work in harmony with each other and the surrounding area in order to create a balanced and harmonious environment. You can also install features which are specifically designed to clash thus creating a more vibrant energy in the garden. The correct choice of color is very important and red, in particular, is a pivotal color for good Feng Shui because it is the color of luck, power and energy. Emperor yellow is the second most auspicious color in Feng Shui, and if you like blue you should go for indigo because it comes from the seven colors of the rainbow and refractions from cut crystal.
In the garden the Yin and Yang interplay of sunlight and shade, dry and wet, smooth and rough, soft and hard, all contribute to the Feng Shui surrounding your home. The terrain can be shaped to simulate the “embrace of the celestial creatures” so that the house can, in fact, be in the correct position even though it has not been moved. The back garden should be higher than the front garden for protection. If this is not the case a wall or fence can be installed, or a clump of densely foliaged trees can be planted to simulate the mountain. The garden on the left side of the home – the Dragon – should be higher than that on the right – the Tiger. Again, if this is not the case you can install a bright light on a high pole on the left side to raise the Chi on that side thus keeping the Tiger under control. An important element in the garden is the Phoenix which is symbolized by a very slight mound or incline in the front of the house. This mound symbolizes a footstool which is part of the armchair configuration. If this is not already there you can create a small raised mound in front of your house planted with bright red flowers.
You can certainly do everything to bring good Feng Shui to your home and also decrease or even eliminate the bad Feng Shui by ensuring that Poison Arrows, do not direct bad energy into your home. Poison Arrows are interpreted as anything straight, pointed, sharp, or irregular. But whether animate or inanimate they direct bad energy into your home diluting or destroying the good Feng Shui. Elements such as a straight road pointing at your house, a neighbor’s triangular roofline facing your house, a tall tree trunk outside your window are all poison arrows. Even a straight path heading towards your front door is bad and if you add to that a mailbox pointing toward your house you have an extreme poison arrow. You can however diffuse the bad energy by planting something like a densely foliaged shrub between the mailbox and your house. You can also soften the edges of the straight path in such a way as to decrease the flow of bad Feng Shui into your home. You can either redesign it into a curvy shape, or simply plant containers all the way along, to divert or slow down the flow of chi.
Some primary problems which may surround your house can be remedied with garden lighting to activate the Yang energy in the form of fire. If your house has an irregular or “inauspicious” shape, or if your house is facing a straight road, you can diffuse this bad energy with the correct lighting to enhance the good Feng Shui.
Boundaries around your property are important but they should not cut you off from the outside world. Therefore the height of your boundary and the positioning of the entrances is important. A garden gate, for instance, should always look friendly and inviting. If it is ominous and off-putting then change it to a smaller, lighter, brighter one.
Whatever you do in or to your garden you should always show love and respect for it. One way to do that is to resist using chemicals and use only natural fertilizers and pest control. The results will be much longer lasting and far better for your environment. You should not be a prisoner to the forces of your environment because you have the power and the tools to change these forces for the good. Once you are familiar with the concepts of Feng Shui it is virtually impossible to sit back and take no action. You can never look at a landscape or garden the same way again.
If you like the philosophy of Feng Shui you can try any of these techniques but educate yourself so that you really understand what you’re doing – and why. While it may be fun to dabble in Feng Shui you probably won’t benefit from its implementation. Bring in a Feng Shui consultant to assess your space and advise, or at the very least read up on the subject. Here are some suggestions for books on Feng Shui in the garden.
Feng Shui Garden Design: Creating Serenity, by Antonia Beattie
The Practical Encyclopedia of Feng Shui, by Gill Hale
Feng Shui in the Garden, by Nancilee Wydra
The Complete Illustrated Guide to Feng Shui for Gardens, by Lillian Too
Feng Shui in the Garden, by Richard Webster
When designing a garden space it is important to be clear about what kind of environment you want to create. Do you want a peaceful meditative garden, an action-oriented space, a funky whimsical spot, or a kitchen garden? Whatever kind of garden you decide on Feng Shui dictates that it should be built and treated with love and respect. Gill Hale, in The Practical Encyclopedia of Feng Shui, writes “In the garden we are in partnership with other living things. If we work with them, balance and harmony will follow.”
It may not be within your power to determine the natural phenomena in your garden but you can still have a forceful hand in the installation and placement of the plants and garden features. With an understanding of the principles which govern Feng Shui (see Part 1, Vol. 4, Issue 6) you can choose furniture, plants and colors which work in harmony with each other and the surrounding area in order to create a balanced and harmonious environment. You can also install features which are specifically designed to clash thus creating a more vibrant energy in the garden. The correct choice of color is very important and red, in particular, is a pivotal color for good Feng Shui because it is the color of luck, power and energy. Emperor yellow is the second most auspicious color in Feng Shui, and if you like blue you should go for indigo because it comes from the seven colors of the rainbow and refractions from cut crystal.
In the garden the Yin and Yang interplay of sunlight and shade, dry and wet, smooth and rough, soft and hard, all contribute to the Feng Shui surrounding your home. The terrain can be shaped to simulate the “embrace of the celestial creatures” so that the house can, in fact, be in the correct position even though it has not been moved. The back garden should be higher than the front garden for protection. If this is not the case a wall or fence can be installed, or a clump of densely foliaged trees can be planted to simulate the mountain. The garden on the left side of the home – the Dragon – should be higher than that on the right – the Tiger. Again, if this is not the case you can install a bright light on a high pole on the left side to raise the Chi on that side thus keeping the Tiger under control. An important element in the garden is the Phoenix which is symbolized by a very slight mound or incline in the front of the house. This mound symbolizes a footstool which is part of the armchair configuration. If this is not already there you can create a small raised mound in front of your house planted with bright red flowers.
You can certainly do everything to bring good Feng Shui to your home and also decrease or even eliminate the bad Feng Shui by ensuring that Poison Arrows, do not direct bad energy into your home. Poison Arrows are interpreted as anything straight, pointed, sharp, or irregular. But whether animate or inanimate they direct bad energy into your home diluting or destroying the good Feng Shui. Elements such as a straight road pointing at your house, a neighbor’s triangular roofline facing your house, a tall tree trunk outside your window are all poison arrows. Even a straight path heading towards your front door is bad and if you add to that a mailbox pointing toward your house you have an extreme poison arrow. You can however diffuse the bad energy by planting something like a densely foliaged shrub between the mailbox and your house. You can also soften the edges of the straight path in such a way as to decrease the flow of bad Feng Shui into your home. You can either redesign it into a curvy shape, or simply plant containers all the way along, to divert or slow down the flow of chi.
Some primary problems which may surround your house can be remedied with garden lighting to activate the Yang energy in the form of fire. If your house has an irregular or “inauspicious” shape, or if your house is facing a straight road, you can diffuse this bad energy with the correct lighting to enhance the good Feng Shui.
Boundaries around your property are important but they should not cut you off from the outside world. Therefore the height of your boundary and the positioning of the entrances is important. A garden gate, for instance, should always look friendly and inviting. If it is ominous and off-putting then change it to a smaller, lighter, brighter one.
Whatever you do in or to your garden you should always show love and respect for it. One way to do that is to resist using chemicals and use only natural fertilizers and pest control. The results will be much longer lasting and far better for your environment. You should not be a prisoner to the forces of your environment because you have the power and the tools to change these forces for the good. Once you are familiar with the concepts of Feng Shui it is virtually impossible to sit back and take no action. You can never look at a landscape or garden the same way again.
If you like the philosophy of Feng Shui you can try any of these techniques but educate yourself so that you really understand what you’re doing – and why. While it may be fun to dabble in Feng Shui you probably won’t benefit from its implementation. Bring in a Feng Shui consultant to assess your space and advise, or at the very least read up on the subject. Here are some suggestions for books on Feng Shui in the garden.
Feng Shui Garden Design: Creating Serenity, by Antonia Beattie
The Practical Encyclopedia of Feng Shui, by Gill Hale
Feng Shui in the Garden, by Nancilee Wydra
The Complete Illustrated Guide to Feng Shui for Gardens, by Lillian Too
Feng Shui in the Garden, by Richard Webster