Gardens

When folks ask me about Feng Shui and gardening, there seems to be some confusion about them being Zen gardens. The two couldn’t be more different. A Zen garden is very – well Zen! When I think of a Zen garden – it’s sparse with open space and lots of sand or rock with a few larger rocks. It’s a space for Zen-like meditation – clearing the mind of everything extraneous. Visual stimulation is at a minimum. Beautiful and serene with little to stimulate the senses.

Feng Shui gardens, on the other hand meander with winding trails, plants, rocks statuary if you like, benches – always a little gift around every bend. There are little pockets of refuge and privacy mixed with vistas – all brought together in a balanced elemental blend. In five-element terms it means you have water, Wood, Fire, Earth and Metal represented in ways that strike your fancy and honor the natural habitat.

When you’re orienting your garden, remember that the garden Bagua can start in the front yard and include the entire property or start at the back door and include only the back yard. You can start your garden anywhere on the property and pick an entry point, which then acts as the “front door” to your garden. I really would not get too hung up on that. People tend to get s little anxious about the specifics and that is completely contrary to the point of a Feng Shui space. For me, the most important aspect is one of balance and the use of symbolism to create a space that embraces you with a mix of life, movement, sound, fragrance, color and texture. All of this should be consistent with the environment in which you are creating the garden.

So – if your in Phoenix, trying to create a garden using tropical plants that need frequent irrigation – necessitating constant care or an additionally installed watering system – is not Feng Shui. Similarly, if you’re in Louisiana and trying to do Xeroscape – with plants that need little or no water – well good luck! Honor the territory you happen to be in.

A lot has been made in Feng Shui about the use of cacti and sharp, pointed sword like plants. They are typically considered rather relationship hostile and non- welcoming for obvious reasons. But if you live in an arid climate, you use plants that are in harmony with that place – and sometimes that’s cactus. So – use a little common sense. Another place to use a liberal dose of common sense is the use of color. Any of you who know about Feng Shui, are aware that each of the elements has a series of colors associated with it. In this context people are always asking, do I need red flowers here, blue flowers there? Here’s the deal – you first have to consider the issues you would look at in ANY healthy garden. Think about the elements of sun, water, wind, shade, soil conditions, etc and first choose plants that will thrive (or at least tolerate) the present conditions. Then look at texture, shape of the plant, size and shape of the leaf and finally color. Your life will be so much easier and your gardening experience will be more pleasurable.

Here are a few suggestions to help you make choices that relate to the five elements. Remember that these can come in the form of vegetation or garden accessories including rock formations, sculptures, water features, path ways, etc.

Water: water itself, water features, ponds, broad leaf floppy plants, draping plants, shady/cool areas, amorphous shapes, the sound of water, bowls with water, water chains. Ponds should have a way for critters like frogs to climb out after they hopped in. Drowned frogs are not good Feng Shui.

Wood: all living plants fall into the wood category, but wood shapes are more columnar or cylindrical, upright and tree like, or any item that has that shape, wood bench, wood sculptures, green.

Fire: sharp pointy leaf plants, red, red gazing balls, sculptures that are angular, pointy, suns, bright glazed tiles, shiny or bright colors, fanciful whimsical art work or mobiles, plastic planters.

Earth: flowers, terra cotta pots, heavy concrete objects, Mexican tile, the colors of deep red-oranges, yellows, pink, sculptures that are heavy visually, square/blocky shapes, soft comfy textures in cushions, concrete benches, heavy stones/boulders, herbs or plants that are fragranced when you brush against them (mint, thyme, santolina, etc) earthen ware planters.

Metal: plants that are rounded or globe like in shape, smooth slick surface sculptures, metal objects including benches & chimes, elegant fixtures, soft pastel colors, the sound of metal clinking. Metal planters.

The variations are endless. Items can also be more than one element at a time. Choose the most predominant aspect. Have fun! This is a time to engage ALL of your senses!

A word on benches or meditation areas: Any area where you sit should have some feeling of protection behind it, so you feel comfortable and secure. Remember the concept of arm-chair shape – with support all around you – looking forward into a more open space. This can be accomplished with a hedge, a tree, wood lattice privacy screen or a stone wall. Paths, edging and outlines of beds should be curved and feel natural or meandering. Ever notice there are no straight lines in nature? Follow that lead.

In Hong Kong, even the straightest walkway is designed to look curved through the use of brick layout, plantings or shadows falling across the walk. Let your creativity soar, your fantasy life come alive! Feng Shui is ALL about paying attention to your senses, enhancing life and creating beauty with what you have on hand.

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