One of the key elements to improving the Feng Shui of the home is to understand how the landscape can have a major influence on the energy flow into the home. It is at the garden level where we can create the source of energy and determine the flow that would help enhance the Feng Shui. From the visual approach to the home, the proportions of hard and soft surfaces, the use of different types of plants and flowers, and the creation of space… all these attributes ultimately affect the living energy that surrounds the home.
First Impressions are Vital
the approach to the home is essentially one of the more important views as it gives the first impression you get when you enter into the property. In landscape Feng Shui, the front garden represents the bright hall to the home; an area that represents the luck for opportunity and success. So if you have a cluttered front yard or the plants are looking weak and void of colour, or the drains are clogged up, or even if the smell is unsettling, it all adds up to negative yin energy being collected which would have an adverse effect on the luck on the property. If your front lawn is filled with yin energy or if it exudes an aura of negativity, it leads to obstacles and blockages for the residents.
Start by de-cluttering the front yard by disposing of any elements that may create negative yin energy. Introduce fresh flowering plants to give an instant vibrancy to the space. Wood is the only element in the cycle of elements that has a life of its own which symbolizes happiness and growth energy. If you are lucky enough to have the space to design around the home, one of the key techniques to create a bright frontage is to distinguish a separate path for your cars to be parked out of site either at the side or the back of the property. By doing so, you can then clear the entire frontage to dedicate solely for the front entrance, allowing you to make it as grand looking as you wish.
Always Look For Balance
The other aspect to consider when landscaping the home is to balance the yang and yin elements through the choice of materials. If the landscape is overwhelmed by ‘hard’ surfaces, it creates an unsettling feeling where the surroundings feel too barren and void of life. In such scenarios, the surrounding air becomes ‘silent’, resulting in a yin environment developing, where the energy finds difficulty in manifesting itself. This makes it impossible for vibrant chi to enter the home.
Choose the Right Colours
In designing the entry approach to the home, try to maintain a balance in the materials and colours you select. Through flowering plants, you can introduce a whole palette of colours to bring vibrancy to any space. Based on the five-element theory, colours may be used to enhance the different sectors of the gardens. For example, in the East and Southeast corners, beneficial colours include blues and greens, so plants such as the grape hyacinth, aubrieta or bluebells are lucky here. For the West or Northwest corners (metal corners) light yellow and white carnations are suitable. For the South, a beautiful rose garden would be the ideal landscape feature complimented by bright garden lights to help fuel the fire energy in the sector for fame and opportunity luck.
For Earth corners, the key features to introduce would include a rockery or mountain feature in the Northeast and a water feature such as a waterfall or pool in the Southwest. Based on Eight Mansions, the Northeast is the sector of education and knowledge and in Period 8, it is also regarded as the Direct Spirit of the Period where Earth energy plays a vital role in enhancing for relationship luck. Landscape rock features should be designed to blend with the environment. Avoid excessive Earth elements as this may create an overwhelming yin feeling. Balance such rock features with plants and vegetation, and include garden light ballads to create Fire energy to further activate the Earth element here.
The Southwest represents the Indirect Spirit of the Period, representing wealth luck and as such, requires the element of Water to help activate it. Ideally this sector should be reserved for a water feature or pool. When designing a pool, it is important to help balance the landscape surrounding it and identify its placement such that it doesn’t interfere with the Feng Shui of the home.
In the swimming pool pictured here, the pool is located off-center to the left of the main door (inside looking out) and positioned at a short distance away which allows a broad reception area in front of the house. The floor is lined with stone paving to reflect Earth energy, but toned down in visual representation through an array of tree lines at both sides; these trees provide shade and security from the external forces of the property. Also another key aspect to keep in mind when designing the landscape features is the concept of proportion. The landscape features and the main house need to be kept within a visual proportion so neither one dominates the other. In this case the swimming pool is kept a mid-size length to reflect the massing of the house, so it is neither overwhelmingly large nor overly miniscule in size.
So when designing the home, it is vital to understand how the landscape can affect the energy and Feng Shui. Always keep in mind the design, for the approach to the home should be clutter free, balanced in materials and colour, and open enough to create that essential bright hall. Other factors that play into the landscape is the proportion of any feature, so make sure you do not create any features that may be harmful or out of place from the overall aesthetics of the home.
