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Loading...Feng Shui for an Inviting Garden
- Erica Sofrina
- June 30, 2011
- 10:22 am
- 26 comments
By Erica Sofrina, Founder West Coast Academy of Feng Shui and author of Small Changes, Dynamic Results! Feng Shui for the Western World.
Feng Shui is often applied to buildings and interiors but the outside world was the original home of Feng Shui. Chi, or energy, can be moved by wind and weather and the ancient Chinese were aware of it as it funneled into steep valleys, or hung over vast plains. They noted the effects and learned how to control the flow in order to maximize the benefits they could derive from it.
The chi that flows around your house cannot reach the doors and windows without passing through your garden or some kind of landscape, so it is the logical place to begin to guide and enhance the chi.
In gardens, aim for quality over quantity. A small beautiful garden can be an amazing chi generator. Whether or not you have an entire yard, or a little area on a deck, creating a vibrant garden will lift your spirits, feed your soul and inspire you to spend more time outside!
The five elements are a key component of Feng Shui. As beings connected to 100,000 generations of ancestors who lived in the natural world, we feel a deep sense of well being when surrounded by nature. The more we can create spaces that bring us out into nature or bring nature in to the home, the happier we feel in our space!
You can balance all of the five elements by including the colors of green, white, yellow, red and dark blue to a garden pot.
Create interesting and luscious gardens that inspire you to be outside. If you live in hot climates, make sure to bring in garden lighting so that you will be enticed to spend time under the stars in the evenings. Solar lighting is an inexpensive way to bring magic to the night garden and creates safer walking paths. (Target is a good source)Up-lighting a favorite tree will bring a fairy-like magic to your garden in the evening as well. The sound of a lovely water fountain will soothe the soul and inspire the spirit. It is especially effective in hot climates and/or when you need to disguise traffic noise if you live on a busy street.
Here is a list of objects you can bring into your gardens and/or decks and patio’s to add visual interest and balance all of the five elements of fire, earth, metal, water and wood. Click Here for my Free Color Five Elements Map!
Enhance the Fire Element in the Garden:
Add plants with fiery triangular and conical shapes, plants and leaves in the red spectrum, sculptures and statues of people and animals, patios and pots in terracotta, lighting, candles, oil lamps, fireplaces, barbecues and things that attract wild life such as humming bird feeders.
Next: how to enhance the other elements, plus more garden tips
Read more: Environment, Feng Shui & Organizing, Green Decorating, Home, Household Hints, Inspiration, Lawns & Gardens, Nature, Nature & Wildlife, Spirit, feng shui, five elements, gardening, green living, inviting gardens, nature, plants, Self-Help, Spirit
Erica Sofrina
Erica Sofrina is an Internationally recognized Speaker and Teacher and Author of the book Small Changes, Dynamic Results! Feng Shui for the Western World. She is also a life coach and motivational speaker and is the founder of the West Coast Academy of Feng Shui. She has run a successful business as a Professional Organizer, Interior Designer and Certified Feng Shui Consultant for over a decade and resides on the charming coastal town of Half Moon Bay in Northern California. Find out more at www.ericasofrina.com.
Go to the Source
Small Changes, Dynamic Results! Feng Shui for the Western World
By Erica sofrina A simple and easy guide to Feng Shui for our contemporaty life stylesbuy now
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
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26 comments
+ add your ownTHANKS FOR YOUR GREAT ADVICE AS ALAWAYS ERICA!
I'll definitely bear these tips in mind when we finally find our dream house. :)...ONE DAY!
i would love to be able to do these things to my yard. but at this time we cant our lawn is in a mess and our dog (no matter what we do) loves to tear plants out of the yard and flower pots
feng shuiing some points for the animals ...
I agree with most of your post here. I think the main objective of feng shui garden is to counteract negative energy in your garden. Such can be done by putting wind chimes, gazing balls, placement of statues in the garden in accordance with feng shui.
wow
I have lived in china so love asian garden. This space is very important to them and they take great care of them even if their space is very limited.
Yes they resource themself in park etc we could learn a lot from them.
Thank you for sharing this info.
Do it now...And see how happy it will make you)))
Excellent point Ernie about the critters that may be living in the dead branches, thank you!
Erica you would love my garden However I would no be to hasty in cutting down and removing large dead branches in trees as they house a multitude of wild animals and birds. I do encourage people to keep a close eye on them to make sure they are safe. I have a wonderful pair of woodpeckers in my garden because of such a tree.
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