Feng Shui Landscape Ideas for Your Yard

Feng Shui Landscape Ideas for Your Yard
By Dee Power

Feng Shui is the art of directing positive energy and deflecting negative energy through the use of natural elements, orientation and location of plants and water features in the landscape. A front yard is the welcoming face of the house. In Feng Shui it's considered the hall to the house. Nothing should obstruct the flow of positive energy into the house.

Antonia Beattie and Leigh Clapp, authors of Feng Shui Garden Designs recommend the views should be pleasant, both from looking out from the house to the front yard and from the street to the house.

Pathway

Direct the flow of energy with a pathway of natural stones that goes from the street to the center of the yard, leading up to the entry of the home. It's a good idea to have the driveway on either side of the house rather than up the middle. Edge the pathway with scented flowers or herbs that release a pleasant fragrance as you brush by. Be careful too of using too many hard surfaces attract negative Chi or energy.

Ground Cover, Short Plants or Lawn.

If the center of the front yard is directly in front of the entry of the home, use plants that won't block the energy flow into the home. That means low-growing plants, ground covers or lawn. A tree might seem esthetically pleasing but it will grow tall enough to block that entry, so it's not advisable. Place trees on the sides of the house.

Flowers

Color draws in energy. Flowering plants do as well. Blue, white and purple colors are calming. Try delphiniums (Delphiniumelatum) and larkspur (Delphinium consolida) with a border of petunias (Petuniaaxillaries). The taller flowers contrast with the lower growing mounding petunias. The spikes of the delphiniums and larkspur complement the round petunia flowers. Yellow and orange flowers attract goodwill. Try both African (Tagetes erecta) and French marigolds (Tagetes patula) or zinnias (Zinnia elegans). A low flower bed of red tulips (Tulipa) welcomes spring. Red zinnias and snapdragons (Antirrhinum Majus) and brings in the summer. Red also represents fire, one of the elements of Feng Shui. Earth is represented by yellow. Metal by white and water by blue.

Uncluttered and Neat Beds

Disorder, clutter and dead plants attract negative energy not just in the center of the front yard but anyplace. Weed the entire yard. Rake the beds and cover with mulch for a neat look. The plants will do better with mulch as well. Trim any dead branches and remove debris from under shrubs. Edge the beds and borders. The view from the street to the entry way should be visible and welcoming.

Visit www.easygardencare.com for more tips on gardening. Dee Power is the author of several nonfiction business books. She grows wedding flowers in her garden as well.

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