Gardening with Feng Shui

The Feng Shui Forum:
Gardening with Feng Shui

As spring approaches, I find myself poring over gardening catalogs with Feng Shui in mind. Right now banana trees and plumerias are holding my attention. The fig tree already has its spot decided. These are important landscaping considerations because, ultimately, these little slips are going to grow into rather large trees and bring a strong presence/chi to their corners of the yard. The blueprints for the deck are almost finished and the built-in garden areas are calling for attention, too.

It's an interesting challenge. On the one hand, I want to bring a bit more yin (shade) to my southern and western exposures. This will shade the back of the house, decrease air conditioning costs, and give the back yard more welcoming areas to spend time. At the same time, I want to keep enough powerful yang energy (full sun) to grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers.

Balance and harmony are as important in Feng Shui landscaping as they are in every other aspect of this practice. When you work with plants you are working with the element wood. The other considerations fall into place around the element. The color it blooms creates a particular kind of chi and represents an element. The shape in which it grows creates another kind of chi and represents an element. Does it bear fruit after it flowers? That represents yet another kind of chi!

Other considerations are the length of the blooming season as well as whether it is a deciduous or evergreen tree. Traditionally, evergreen is considered to be more favorable. Because an evergreen never loses its leaves, its chi is understood to be exceptionally strong.

The good news in this climate is that many plants make it through winter without losing their leaves. In fact, many of my bedding plants are still blooming their little hearts out, having completely shrugged off any of the season's suggestions that they stop!

People often ask what to do when the color they've introduced in their yard as a cure disappears with the season. Does the intent still hold? The answer is yes, the intent is still present; but it's best if it's also physically represented. It's simple enough to design and plant your garden for color year round. You can also work with garden ornaments, bird houses, and bird feeders to create a more permanent physical cure.

Be sure to take into consideration the size of the mature plants you are working with. When a tree or shrub impedes the walkways or shrouds the windows, we create unfavorable "choked chi" conditions. The residents will struggle and life will become oppressive. I am reminded of a shop I visited that had a walkway only large enough for one person to walk on. The walk way was then overhung on both sides by dense plant growth. The shop owner was often heard complaining about financial difficulties.

Similarly, be certain to avoid planting a tree directly in front of the front door. This blocks the flow of chi into the mouth of the home, creating much hardship and unhappiness for the residents. We want our entry ways to be open, flowing, spacious, and welcoming. In the Form School of Feng Shui, the phoenix resides at the front of a dwelling and needs plenty of room to lift up and out in flight.

And so, until next month, many blessings and much happiness. To participate in the Feng Shui Forum, please fax me at 713-861-9243, e-mail me at joani@wt.net, or call me at 713-861-0903 with your questions or contributions. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

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