How to create harmony in your garden

Feng shui (pronounced faah-ng’ shway) is an old Chinese art of achieving harmony in a space. It involves balance of the chi (life energy) and the yin and yang (harmony of opposites) and the five elements of life that include water, fire, earth, metal and wood. Feng shui is used to decorate homes, offices, business premises as well as outdoor areas including gardens. Here is how to achieve garden feng shui.

Garden bagua

Your garden, just like your home has bagua. Bagua is like a map with eight factors that correlate to create a harmonious space. Among the eight bagua areas your garden should have are: a wealth and abundance corner, health and family area, fame and reputation, spiritual growth and cultivation, love and marriage, children and creativity area, career and path in life, helpful people and blessings area.

Create curved paths

Nature, just like life, does not follow a straight path. Life flows along a curvy pathway and so should your garden. Create curved pathways with pebbles and stones like mazeras or cabro. Curved paths allow for the flow of energy or chi, which is good energy.

Installing the five elements

Once you have mapped out your garden with the bagua, it is time to place all the five elements in your garden floor plan.

Water

Use water elements like fountains in areas mapped out for wealth and abundance, career and path in life and/or health and family. The colours best for these areas are blue and black. You can get a handmade fountain from your nearest jua kali artisan.

Earth

Your personal growth and self-cultivation bagua element should fall in the North side of your garden. This is a perfect area for the Earth. Introduce the earth using stone and rocks.

Metal

Metal energy represents flexibility and dynamism. Use metal in sectors that represent creativity, children, helpful people and family. Metallic furniture in grey and white is as close to feng shui as it gets.

Fire

Fire creates energy in your space and is perfect for a feng shui garden. Fire colours are red and fire products are lanterns, fire pits, furnaces and bonfires.

Wood

Since all gardens are woodsy, this is a feng shui element that appears by default in your garden and works in tandem with the rest. Play around with the elements until you arrive at your version of zen.