Yard Landscaping - Feng Shui In The Garden

Feng Shui In The Garden

"The Ancient Art of Placement" called Feng Shui (pronounced phung schway) literally means 'wind' and 'water.' The Chinese believe this cosmic energy, called Chi or 'the green dragon's cosmic breath,' is the life force energy that pervades human existence. The basic tenet of Feng Shui is to capture this vital energy creating balance and harmony in our environments. Feng Shui is predicated on the core belief that we, the earth, and every living thing on it are interconnected.

Feng Shui is the oldest form of gardening dating back several millennia to China. It is based on the philosophy that man and nature must live in harmony with one another and that all life is infused with the invisible energy called Chi. This force circulates throughout our environment and is essential to our well-being, health, and happiness. The Chinese sages believed that any man-made feature could affect the flow of Chi so established the rules of placement that are central to this philosophy.

In the Feng Shui garden, balance and harmony are the key factors. Balance and harmony are achieved by careful attention to detail and the balance of Yin and Yang energy. Yin energy includes the earth, rocks, ponds, plants, flowers, and trees. Yang energy includes the home, brick, wood, nails, and other solid construction. The fundamental characteristics of Feng Shui gardening are:

· Curved lines rather than straight allow natural energy to flow more easily.

· Feng Shui gardens are never crowded.

· Feng Shui gardens are designed to look as natural as possible.

· Mixing shapes and sizes is a vital element in Feng Shui gardens.

The Chi, or cosmic energy, needs to flow freely and smoothly through its surroundings in order to create harmony and balance in the garden. Yin and Yang together constitute the two forms of energy central to the concept of Feng Shui principles and define the quality of the energies in any space.

Yin energy constitutes the feminine energy and its elements are shadows, darkness, winter, night-time, wet, soft, receptive, passive, negative, inner, north, creation, earth, and is symbolized by the moon. Yang energy constitutes the masculine energy and its elements are light, openness, vigour, growth, summer, daytime, spirit, dry, hard, active, positive, sky, heaven, south, outer, energetic, and is symbolized by the sun. Yin and Yang energies are complementary to each other.

The Feng Shui of your house influences your life from a personal point of view. The Feng Shui of your garden influences the outer aspect of your house and influences the more public view of your life. The front garden is more Yang while the back garden is more Yin and the private side of your life. The best way to examine the Feng Shui of your garden is to treat your entire property as a single unit.

Plants that exhibit Yang energy include large-leafed plants that create a powerful presence and create good Feng Shui when placed beside water features such as a pond or fountain. These plants contrast nicely with feathery foliage plants such as ferns. Plants that exhibit Yin energy include ferns that help to dissolve any negative energy in the garden. Hanging plants will lift energy or allow energy to flow. It is a good idea to hang baskets around areas where you like to socialize. Window boxes encourage beneficial Chi toward the home.

Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place Of Peace ? Gardening For The Soil, Gardening For The Soul and the booklet Non-toxic Alternatives For Everyday Cleaning And Gardening Products. She owns the website Gwen's Healing Garden where you will find lots of free information about gardening for the soil and gardening for the soul. To find out more about the books and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca

Car Insurance Rates | Dental Insurance | Health Insurance | Home Owner Insurance | Life Insurance Quote

| 1 |

The Garden As Healer
The word for 'paradise' comes from the Persian word for a garden and has always meant the same thing in every culture. It is representative of 'paradise on earth' and is our opportunity to own a little bit of heaven ? here and now. It has a restorative significance as a healer when we understand that gardens provide us with a place of sanctuary and well-being.The garden has the potential to provide a place of refuge from stress, "the health epidemic of the 21st century" according to ...(related: Yard Landscaping)

The Heralded Teak Furniture Manufacturer: Kingsley-bate
With an average lifespan of 75 years, teak wood has long been commended as the ideal choice for outdoor fur...(related: Yard Landscaping)

Lawn Care Information
Recent lawn care information reports that a lot of us might be guilty of over-kill when it comes to tending our family turf. What may be the most effective way to solve problems may not be the best way for the long-term health of our lawns and safety of our families.For instance, most experts tell us we need to aerate our lawns each spring to control thatch. Thatch is a layer of dead stems and roots that build up under some grasses. The truth is that thatch is a natural part of a lawn and a shallow layer of it (up to ½ inch) even acts as a moisture holding mulch for your turf. That is not always good information, as everything in life it depends on several factor such as soil type and the like.You can t...(related: Yard Landscaping)

Feng Shui In The Garden
"The Ancient Art of Placement" called Feng Shui (pronounced phung schway) literally means 'wind' and 'water.' The Chinese believe this cosmic energy, called Chi or 'the green dragon's cosmic breath,' is the life force energy that pervades human existence. The basic tenet of Feng Shui is to capture this vital energy creating balance and harmony in our environments. Feng Shui is predicated on the core belief that we, the earth, and every living thing on it are interconnected.Feng Shui is the oldest form of gardening dating back several millennia to China. It is based on the philosophy that man and nature must live in harmony with one another and that all life is infused with the invisible energy called Chi. This force circulat...(related: Yard Landscaping)

Teak Garden Furniture: A Natural Extension Of The Home
In the past, the garden has traditionally been a separate entity, with wrought iron or plastic furniture dotting the landscape in no particular design pattern. Seen as simply a place to have a picnic or, perhaps, read a book on a nice day, attention wasn't given to the fact that the garden is a natural extension of the home.Today, things have changed, and homeowners are now considering their garden area as simply another room that happens to flow into the outdoors. In fact, great care is often taken to extend the home environment into the garden, integrating the design of the furnishings and expression of the homeowner's personal style to create a comfortable retreat for those who choose to enjoy the benefits of nature.Let's supp...(related: Yard Landscaping)

Italian Vegetable Seeds
Some might ask, "Why grow Italian vegetable seeds?" Why bother with going international when there are already plenty of seed companies in the U.S.?One reason is that there are Old World strains that just 'have that certain taste' that comes with a specific variety not offered from U.S. growers. You can be assured that some of these Italian vegetable seeds will do very well here. At www.growitalian.com, they maintain that Italy has much the same climate in the south as southern California and their northern growing temperatures match that of some of our own northern states. They do suggest that a head start may be necessary because Italy has a longer growing season.Of course, w...(related: Yard Landscaping)

Gardening Tips For Early - Mid July
Now we are fast approaching the hottest time of the year, there are still some things that can be done in the garden. Below are a few gardening tips for those that love the summer warmth. For you who aren't particularly appreciative of the hot hot, then do your gardening chores early in the morning.As the flowers in your garden start to fade, you should see seed pods begin to appear. What does this mean as far as the plant's growth is concerned? How does it affect the appearance of your garden?It means that the plant puts most of i...(related: Yard Landscaping)

Growing Organic! Herbs, Flowers And Fruit
Creating no dig gardens on top of the soil gives you many immediate advantages over the usual garden.

It is quick and easy

It will improve the soil underneath the bed

It is weed free and organicWhile my site has concentrated on the vegetable garden, the same garden building techniques can be used for flower beds, herbs and fruit trees.Herbs<...(related: Yard Landscaping)

Good Tools And Hard Work Is What Creates Eyecatching And Functional Gardens
"Gardens are not made by sitting in the shade." -Rudyard KiplingSweat and toil along with gentle showers guarantee ? pleasant flowers and pleasing fruits and consoli...(related: Yard Landscaping)