A Beginner's Guide to Feng Shui in the Garden
How to incorporate the principles of this ancient Chinese art into your outdoor space
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese belief that our environment, whether it be home, garden or even work, can affect us, not just on a physical level but emotionally and spiritually. Feng is Chinese for wind, and shui, water; both elements that flow and circulate in every corner of the globe. In feng shui, the idea is that the energy patterns (chi) in the spaces we inhabit are affected by the arrangement of furniture and other objects in them, the location of doorways and mirrors, the use of colour or water, and even the shapes of leaves. To achieve good feng shui, we need to ensure the flow of chi is as harmonious as possible in all the spaces we inhabit.
Even if you think feng shui is mumbo-jumbo, most of its principles are in accordance with good landscape design practice, so applying them will still give you a garden that is pleasing to be in. Essential features of feng shui gardens, for instance, are water, healthy plants, uncluttered spaces and the gentle tinkling of wind chimes. Here’s how to apply some basic feng shui principles to your outdoor areas.
Even if you think feng shui is mumbo-jumbo, most of its principles are in accordance with good landscape design practice, so applying them will still give you a garden that is pleasing to be in. Essential features of feng shui gardens, for instance, are water, healthy plants, uncluttered spaces and the gentle tinkling of wind chimes. Here’s how to apply some basic feng shui principles to your outdoor areas.
Earth. The earth element is symbolised by boulders, rocks and even stone sculpture. These should be placed in the centre of the garden for good feng shui. In this garden, earth elements (rocks) surround water (the symbol of abundance), ensuring it has excellent feng shui.
BEGINNER’S TIP: Planting soft grasses or other graceful plants balances the hard surfaces of rocks – perfect yin and yang (see below for more on this).
BEGINNER’S TIP: Planting soft grasses or other graceful plants balances the hard surfaces of rocks – perfect yin and yang (see below for more on this).
Fire. An obvious way to bring the second element, fire, into your outdoor space, is to install a fire pit or outdoor fireplace. If you’d love an outdoor fireplace, brazier or a beautiful fire bowl like this one, according to feng shui principles, it should be installed in the south sector of the garden, which represents fire.
BEGINNER’S TIP: Round shapes are also considered auspicious in feng shui theory. The designer of this Melbourne garden has cleverly used a circular fire bowl to repeat the shape of the bench and stone platform beneath it.
BEGINNER’S TIP: Round shapes are also considered auspicious in feng shui theory. The designer of this Melbourne garden has cleverly used a circular fire bowl to repeat the shape of the bench and stone platform beneath it.
Metal. According to feng shui principles, metal relates to the west quarter of a space. Therefore any decorative pieces made of metal, such as this beautiful Corten rusted steel letterbox in Perth, should be placed in this part of your garden.
BEGINNER’S TIP: Other garden elements to represent metal include laser-cut steel or copper screen and fire bowls, steel wind chimes or bronze sculptures.
BEGINNER’S TIP: Other garden elements to represent metal include laser-cut steel or copper screen and fire bowls, steel wind chimes or bronze sculptures.
Water. Ideally, water features should be sited in either the northern, eastern or south-eastern sectors of a garden, and the water should flow towards rather than away from the house. Wood decking brings the whole space down to earth.
BEGINNER’S TIP: Goldfish and turtles also signify abundance, so consider a fish pond to improve the favourable feng shui of your garden.
9 reasons you need a fish pond in your garden
BEGINNER’S TIP: Goldfish and turtles also signify abundance, so consider a fish pond to improve the favourable feng shui of your garden.
9 reasons you need a fish pond in your garden
2. Embrace the power of opposites
This key feng shui concept of ‘yin and yang’ is based on the idea of the universe containing complementary opposites. In Chinese, yin means ‘shady side’, while yang means ‘sunny side’; qualities that seem to be very different but that actually work together, such as soft and hard or light and dark. Balancing these contrasting energies is essential for good feng shui in a garden. In the garden above, the the hard metal fence is balanced by the soft green lawn.
BEGINNER’S TIP: An easy step to balance the yin and yang of your garden is to make sure (soft) planting areas balance hard paving such as concrete or stone.
This key feng shui concept of ‘yin and yang’ is based on the idea of the universe containing complementary opposites. In Chinese, yin means ‘shady side’, while yang means ‘sunny side’; qualities that seem to be very different but that actually work together, such as soft and hard or light and dark. Balancing these contrasting energies is essential for good feng shui in a garden. In the garden above, the the hard metal fence is balanced by the soft green lawn.
BEGINNER’S TIP: An easy step to balance the yin and yang of your garden is to make sure (soft) planting areas balance hard paving such as concrete or stone.
3. Keep your balance
Adding outdoor lighting to a water feature is another excellent way to balance the yin (the dark water) and yang (light) of an outdoor space.
BEGINNER’S TIP: Other simple yin and yang tricks include using soft cushions on the hard surfaces of timber or metal bench seats and gently draping fabric over a steel or timber pergola.
Adding outdoor lighting to a water feature is another excellent way to balance the yin (the dark water) and yang (light) of an outdoor space.
BEGINNER’S TIP: Other simple yin and yang tricks include using soft cushions on the hard surfaces of timber or metal bench seats and gently draping fabric over a steel or timber pergola.
4. Unblock the flow
Messy spaces filled with pots and other objects, broken or shabby furniture, untrimmed or diseased plants all create bad feng shui because they block the visual and energetic flow (chi) through the garden. The garden shown here is a good example of an outdoor space that has an uncluttered flow. The path is curved, which has positive feng shui, and there is no furniture, overhanging branches or other obstacles impeding circulation.
BEGINNER’S TIP: The Hostas in this garden are considered to have very good feng shui as they have round as opposed to spiky leaves. Round leaves are yin and have a calming force whereas pointy leaves are yang and therefore have the opposite effect.
Messy spaces filled with pots and other objects, broken or shabby furniture, untrimmed or diseased plants all create bad feng shui because they block the visual and energetic flow (chi) through the garden. The garden shown here is a good example of an outdoor space that has an uncluttered flow. The path is curved, which has positive feng shui, and there is no furniture, overhanging branches or other obstacles impeding circulation.
BEGINNER’S TIP: The Hostas in this garden are considered to have very good feng shui as they have round as opposed to spiky leaves. Round leaves are yin and have a calming force whereas pointy leaves are yang and therefore have the opposite effect.
5. Light up the space
Light is a very important feature of feng shui gardens as it represents the fire element as well as life-giving yang energy (yin is dark and yang is light). However, don’t go overboard with outdoor lighting, as light, like every every aspect, must be balanced in feng shui (otherwise you could end up with a garden that looks like a mini Disneyland). In this lovely garden, subtle uplighting is used to accentuate the form of the bamboo; a favourable plant in feng shui that is said to bring peace and energy to your home.
BEGINNER’S TIP: Rather than light the whole of your garden, which can look artificial, create pools of light around key features – such as plants, trees or a water feature – balanced by dark, unlit areas.
7 lighting ideas to enhance your outside space
Light is a very important feature of feng shui gardens as it represents the fire element as well as life-giving yang energy (yin is dark and yang is light). However, don’t go overboard with outdoor lighting, as light, like every every aspect, must be balanced in feng shui (otherwise you could end up with a garden that looks like a mini Disneyland). In this lovely garden, subtle uplighting is used to accentuate the form of the bamboo; a favourable plant in feng shui that is said to bring peace and energy to your home.
BEGINNER’S TIP: Rather than light the whole of your garden, which can look artificial, create pools of light around key features – such as plants, trees or a water feature – balanced by dark, unlit areas.
7 lighting ideas to enhance your outside space
6. Plant well
Healthy, well-tended plants are synonymous with vibrant chi as they produce positive energy. Avoid spiky plants like cacti (Cactaceae) and roses (Rosa) and instead go for those considered auspicious such as the bamboo (Bambuseae) used in this garden. Other plants traditionally considered to have good feng shui include peach, lime or orange trees, jade plants, peonies, magnolia, lotus and orchids.
BEGINNER’S TIP: When planting bamboo, always choose clumping varieties, not suckering types that will take over your garden very quickly.
TELL US
Have you adopted feng shui principles in your garden?
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Healthy, well-tended plants are synonymous with vibrant chi as they produce positive energy. Avoid spiky plants like cacti (Cactaceae) and roses (Rosa) and instead go for those considered auspicious such as the bamboo (Bambuseae) used in this garden. Other plants traditionally considered to have good feng shui include peach, lime or orange trees, jade plants, peonies, magnolia, lotus and orchids.
BEGINNER’S TIP: When planting bamboo, always choose clumping varieties, not suckering types that will take over your garden very quickly.
TELL US
Have you adopted feng shui principles in your garden?
MORE
10 Steps to a Feng Shui Bedroom
Feng Shui Your Home Office and Take on the World
13 Ways to Bring Positive Energy to Your Front Entrance
How to Plan a Japanese-Style Kitchen
This principle is one of the most important in feng shui. The five elements are based on those qualities that make up everything in the world: earth, metal, water, wood and fire. You must have all of them in balance for good feng shui in a garden. All five elements relate to different compass sectors in the garden. Note how timber decking, stone, water and lush planting are all balanced beautifully in this Karrinyup courtyard garden.
BEGINNER’S TIP: Here, the designer has also balanced the use of spiky leaved sago cycads (Cycas revoluta), not considered auspicious plants in feng shui, with the rounder leaves of frangipani (Plumeria spp.) and other shrubs.