Thursday, June 14, 2012

Feng Shui for Your Landscaping

Creating an Outdoor Oasis of Beauty and Balance


As spring invites us to get outdoors again and spruce up our yards, why not consider going beyond the usual habits of gardening, and instead work with your landscape in alignment with the wisdom of Feng Shui?

With the summer months our yards can become an extension of our living space, and the garden allows us to feel connected to nature. Since the effective application of Feng Shui techniques do wonders for shifting the energy of interior spaces, it makes sense that the same principals apply to your yard and garden. A well designed Feng Shui garden landscape appeals to all the senses, delights visitors, and provides a calm and restorative environment to fully enjoy the summer season.

Landscaping that is energized with the flow of chi will bring life to your home, and attract an abundance of birds, butterflies and a feeling of wellbeing. By incorporating representations of the elements, you can make your garden a retreat oasis in alignment with the wisdom of Feng Shui.

•Remove clutter, weeds, dead plants, objects to trip on such as tools and hoses, and other strewn debris in order to clear the space and let the energy (chi) flow.

•Don’t overwhelm the environment with every dazzling color in the book, but choose a selection of uplifting colors such as orange and yellow, and calming colors like blue, purple and white.

•Steer clear of items with sharp and pointed angles; rather choose smooth rounded corners to all objects, decorative pieces, flower pots and furniture.

•Avoid placing a fence or large object in the middle of your yard or garden, as it will block the flow of energy and disrupt the positive chi.

Elements of Feng Shui in your landscaping:

•Earth - Keep the soil fertile and the flowers, trees and grass well maintained, as this enhances the earth element. Place round stones as a border around spaces, or as appealing and calming decoration to enhance the grounding balance of the earth element.

•Wood – Choose wooden planting boxes, or adorn your landscaping with decorative wooden pieces such as a carving, bench or bamboo pieces. As a lucky Feng Shui cure, bamboo is used to attract health, abundance and happiness.

•Metal - Place something metal in your landscaping to encourage the properties of that important element, such as wind chimes or planters.

•Water - Include still or slow flowing water such as a fountain, bird bath, pond or pooled water from a stream. It’s not encouraged to have a fast moving stream or river through your property, as this carries the positive energy away from your home, akin to “peace or abundance flying out the door”. Instead, have pooled or slower flowing water which can collect beneficial chi to stay in your yard.

•Fire - For the final touches of balancing the elements, fire can be represented in various ways such as candles or lanterns, or a fire pit.

You can easily create a feel-good and ambient garden patio with pillows, blankets, and outdoor music.

Just a few extra touches and working with the surrounding landscape brings restorative benefits and balance to the energy flow around and through your home. You’ll feel the difference and savour your time in the yard even more.