What is Feng Shui

 

Feng Shui is an art of reaching harmony in life, a practice that comes from the China. It is believed that if a place (home, garden, office or anywhere) is arranged according to the Feng Shui guidelines it remains, prosperous, peaceful and harmonious.

 

 

 

 

Principles of a Feng Shui Garden

A Feng Shui garden is a garden that is arranged in 9 areas or zones. Each represents a universe, a realm of life through forms, objects and colors. The Feng Shui garden must respect nature and be in harmony with it.

 

The 5 Elements

In Feng Shui, there are five basic elements– Fire, Water, Metal, Earth and Wood. They maintain harmony in the world around us and influence our lives.

Therefore, in the feng shui garden design, these five elements must have to be in order in their zones.

 

 

Dividing Garden into Nine Feng Shui Zones

Each zone represents an area of life and you must give space to the appropriate elements there.

North

The North is the zone that represents the fame, career and the flow and mystery of life. It symbolizes the winter season. It must have to be in the front of the entrance. Its dominant element is water and its color is blue, violet, black, and other dark colors. The shape is sinuous and items to integrate here are a water feature or pond, rocks, water plants, dark foliage plants and blue flowers.

 

North East

The Northeast represents wisdom and knowledge. The dominating element here is the earth and its colors are yellow, orange and cream. The shape is square. Garden benches, pots, and statues can be placed here. As the Northeast direction represents the wisdom, it is the place for meditation and yoga.

 

North West

Northwest part symbolizes support, friendship, guidance and represents the fall season. The dominant element here is metal and the colors to be there mainly are white, gray, golden
brown, and silver. Plants like jasmine, gardenia or magnolia can be planted here. Rocks, gravels, and metallic objects are best suited here.

 

 

South

The South is the direction of success and fame and represents the summer. The dominant element here is fire and the main colors here are red, orange, purple and pink. Plants that have red or another similar colors like orange, pink, crimson, purple must be grown there. The shape of the South zone is the triangle.

 

South East

South East symbolizes the wealth and represents the season spring. Its dominant element is wood and its color is green and brown. You can grow here the plants that are related to this color.

South West

The South West is the zone that symbolizes love, pureness, and attraction between a couple. The dominant element here is Earth and the colors are to be yellow, orange, pink and other. The shape of the Southwest area is square and in this area you have to keep your garden furniture and objects in pairs to symbolize the parity.

 

East

This zone represents health and the season spring. Its dominant element is wood whose color is green (symbol of harmony and balance). Its shape is the rectangle. This is the area where you can grow medicinal plants, herbs, foliage plants and large trees like palms, plums, and bamboos.

 

West

This is the family area. Its main element is metal and its color is white (that symbolizes purity, freshness, and harmony). You can also use the gray and silver color here. The shape of the West Zone is the circle. Put some pots, chimes, rocks and wrought iron furniture. Plant shrubs here. Grow flowers of different colors together with whiter ones. Magnolia, jasmine, and lily of the valley are perfect for this area.

 

Central zone

Keep the central zone open and less cluttered as it is the most prominent point. This is the Tai Chi area. The key element here is earth and its color is yellow. This area represents the unity, harmony and balance. It connects all areas of the Feng Shui garden. This should be kept clean and maintained regularly.

A Feng Shui garden should not be overloaded, otherwise, Chi (energy of life) will circulate poorly. Keep the design simple.

To maintain the flow of energy, you must promote movement in the garden. Make curved paths and edgings. Invite butterflies, bees, and birds. Put feeders, grow fruit trees and flowers to attract them.

Furthermore, statues and sculptures also attract positive energy. Their size must be proportional to the garden. The large pots and urns are the holders of luck and abundance. So prefer the larger ones.

Water is an essential element in the Feng Shui garden. It is a symbol of prosperity. It takes place in the form of stream, waterfall or pond and it must be there in the appropriate zone.

The garden must be open, full of brightness and natural light. Walkways and entrances must not be blocked by any object or a tree. To bring nature, large rocks and gravels must be used.

 

 

 

A Few Popular Feng Shui Plants

 

• Bamboo

• Peony

• Maple Tree

• Plum

• Orchid

• Chrysanthemum

• Iris

• Lily

• Lotus

• Daffodil

• Magnolia

• Jasmine

• Gardenia

• Pine Tree

• Citrus

• Grasses

   

  Jodie xxx