DREAMIN'

FENG SHUI GARDENS & DECORATING

Feng shui garden principles

Feng shui gardens have to be planned in a similar fashion as that of a feng shui house. The five basic elements of feng shui, bagwa or pa kua and the implication of the compass directions should be accounted for while designing a feng shui garden. Law of feng shui remains the same for all types of gardens, immaterial of their size. Feng shui encourages a lot of curves as these curves help in the easy flow of Chi thus bringing out the best of Chi or energy flow in the garden.

Feng shui gardens represent a combination of vegetation, bushes and foliage along with bright flowers. The Chinese love red flowers as they believe that bright colors induce brightness and cheer in our lives. Understanding the aspects of feng shui and implementing them in the garden helps stimulate prosperity, luck and wealth.
Feng shui garden plantsPlants are a key source of thought and optimism. Plants when related to the principle of feng shui can be categorized as woody plants, fire plants, earth plants, metal plants and aquatic plants. Each of them signifies a principle of their own:

Woody plants - modification and movement
Fire plants - beauty and humor. E.g. sunflower, daisy
Earth plants – stability and peace. E.g. clematis
Metal plants – strength and resilience. E.g. pampas grass
Aquatic plants – seriousness and strong will. E.g. summer aster

Feng shui garden tips

A typical feng shui garden consists of elements such as pond/waterway or fountains, red and orange flowers, trees and shrubs.Circular shapes in the garden are indicative of good feng shui, therefore try planting flowers with round shapes or place a circular pond in your garden.
Keep all areas of your garden well lit. Make sufficient place for sitting in the garden using natural resources such as wood or bamboo.

Statues made from stone, terracotta or any natural material can be placed to free any central spot or space in the garden. Flow of water along with wind is important principle in feng shui. Place a waterway along with wind chimes thus encouraging the free flow of chi or energy. Water also means wealth, success and purity as per feng shui. Red and any other bright colored flowers are important in a garden adapting feng shui principles as these bright colors are known for their vivacity and vigor. Yellow is associated with healing, pink bears a connotation on your relationships and purple is representative of fortune and prosperity.

Pleasant smelling and scented flowers such as roses and lavender and delicate plants that sway to a gentle breeze can be planted. Fish and birds are intrinsic to feng shui as fish is a sign of prosperity. Add a fish pond in your garden, preferably with goldfish in it. Position the lights for your garden in the southwest area as this helps improve marital and other relationships in your life.

A perfect feng shui garden should have a combination of shrubs, flowers and trees that will linger through all the seasons. Maintain them well as these plant shapes will have an influence over the family members of the house.
Southeast corner of the garden when planted with hale and hearty plants will promote prosperity, wealth and luck.

Don’ts

Roses should not be placed in the entrance as the thorns in the plant mean harm and damage to the owners of the house. The front garden or yang must be open and unrestricted while yin - the back of the garden should be personal and private. The pathway from the garden to the house should not be encumbered and should be clean from hurdles. Compost piles must be concealed. Water in the garden should not stagnate and should be clean from debris as this will hinder the flow of positive energy.

Don’t plant trees in front of the main door as this affects the flow of energy. Trees that need regular trimming should not be planted as they might lead to a financial crisis. Tips to balance your feng shui garden and houseYang the garden aspect and Yin the house aspect should be planned in a manner that they balance each other well.

Flower beds along with curved pathways will help maintain equilibrium with the straight lines of the house. Overtly straight lines for pathways do not confirm to the principles of a feng shui garden. Juxtapose the roughness of rocks with the smooth surface of water as this brings about harmony between stillness and movement. A waterway can be replaced with a birdbath or a fountain where space is a constraint. Using curved stones instead of straight ones will reduce negative energy, sha.

Replace straight tall hedges with flower beds or jagged shaped hedges; this will help maintain the balance of the garden as well as balance between the house and the garden. Choose plants with fat succulent leaves and avoid those with spikes. Soften edges with soft trailing plants taking care to see that they don’t overgrow or block light.
Herbs can add a powerful influence on your garden. In addition to their medicinal properties, they are said to promote good fortune. Be it basil and rosemary, lavender and jasmine, they can add color and influence your life.

Accessories to compliment the feng shui garden.

Use rounded off tables and curved chairs as they help in the flow of energy rather than blocking them.
Round terracotta and earthen pot ware can be used to encourage the earth element in the garden.
Wood is the best material among the rest when it comes to seating and other furniture preferences in your garden.
Wind chimes, gongs and gazing balls help in the flow of positive energy and the gaze balls are supposed to wade off negative energy. Lights can be used to energize stagnant areas of your garden. Choose ornaments that adhere to the proportion of your garden.

What is feng shui decorating all about? It's all about using space in your home or office effectively in order to attract and keep the chi in. Feng shui interior decoration encompasses the golden and practical rules of housekeeping as well as feng shui beliefs. Read on to find out how to decorate your feng shui bedroom to add some zing to your love life! We take you through the feng shui garden and its positive effect on your home and health.

Feng shui decorating.

Every room of our house plays an important role in our lives. Feng shui interior decorating tips that can have a great impact on many aspects of your life:Clutter and mess is anathema to the rules of feng shui interior decorating. A messy home or office can block and ward off positive chi. Plants can be used to good advantage in home decoration. It is best to avoid sharp cornered objects and excessive overhead lights when trying to incorporate feng shui in interior decorating. Strong drafts are also not considered to have a positive influence.

When using feng shui decorating rules for the kitchen, ensure that the kitchen is well ventilated and safe. The kitchen plays an important role in your life, as 'you are what you eat'. Overhead and exposed beams should be avoided in a feng shui home. They are considered to bring oppressive chi and breed distrust and dishonesty. Sharp and protruding corners in a feng shui house can be softened with cascading plants or wind chimes or even furnishings with rounded edges.

Feng shui house.

The first principle in any feng shui home is to allow space at the main door to be free and clear so as to allow chi to flow in. Avoid shoes near the door. A feng shui home should ideally have a water fountain positioned favorably so as to attract and trap the chi. Do not have a stove and refrigerator or washing machine in the kitchen together as this might cause disagreements on account of the fire and water crash.Feng shui bedroom tipA bedroom is a sanctuary for privacy, peace and intimacy. trying to get a balance of the five elements in a feng shui bedroom can be first step towards feng shui home decoration. Wooden beds are a better bet in your feng shui bedroom since metal beds can conduct electricity.

A feng shui bedroom should have an ideal lighting level, not too dim yet not too harsh. A feng shui tip to apply to your bedroom decoration is to avoid large plants and mirrors. The headboard for the bed placed against a solid wall of the bedroom makes for good feng shui. If you are seeking a new romantic partner, your feng shui bedroom must make space for that person in your home. Another feng shui tip for bedrooms is to avoid placing sports equipment here. Any paintings, imagery or sculpture of solitude, loneliness or aggression do not find place in a feng shui bedroom. Beautiful romantic artwork, fresh flowers and items in pairs are ideal for feng shui decoration of your bedroom.Feng shui officeThe first step towards getting your feng shui office in place is to select the right site for the office or business. Circular and horseshoe shaped plots are preferred.

Office sites on locations where they are exposed to the elements are not the right choice as per feng shui principles. Large monuments and sculptures in the immediate vicinity of your office can produce secret or poison arrows. A feng shui office entrance should face an open area creating a bright hall effect. You can use mirrors to good effect in feng shui interior decoration of your office. A mirror hanging by the cash register symbolizes a doubling effect and can be a harbinger of good fortune.

The reception of a feng shui office should be ideally open and well lit to encourage the flow of chi. Having a desk with your back to the window is to be avoided. A desk in a feng shui office ideally faces the door at an angle with your back to a wall for support. Use objects of the five elements to energize your work desk. A feng shui decorating tip here is to balance light and dark colors as well as smooth and rough textures in the office space. Feng shui gardenFeng shui principles can be applied to your garden too - be it your small kitchen garden or your large sprawling lawn. Metropolitan apartment dwellers need not despair since they too can enhance their limited space with the spirit of feng shui. Chi or the universal life energy flows in a meandering way and it can be invited into the garden and captured with a stream, pond or birdbath. All undergrowth and clutter must be removed so as to allow the chi to travel freely.

Balance the yin and yang in your feng shui garden by juxtaposing sun and shade or bright flowers in a shady corner. You can try and achieve balance in a feng shui garden by contrasting textures such as the roughness of rocks and the smoothness of water. A feng shui apartment garden can be set off with the presence of plants on a terrace or doorway thereby attracting vital chi. Potted plants, hanging baskets and window boxes can draw the energy of the garden into your home. A feng shui garden should ideally have boundaries of curved walls or irregular shaped hedges and flowerbeds. All aspects of the garden such as pathways, garden beds and fences and walls play a vital role in balancing feng shui.