Hope you are enjoying your summer! What kind of outdoor space do you have? Depending on where you live will dictate the type of yard or garden you have.
For instance, here in Texas, we experience very hot temperatures in July, so xeriscaping and swimming pools are popular. Drought-resistant plants are in demand. With water shortages, minimalist gardens help the community.
In the art of Feng Shui, the art of harmonious placement, there are principles that can help you design a lovely, nurturing, and sustainable yard. With more and more people working from home, the backyard has become even more important. Reasons range from nurturing the soul, creating an inspiring workspace (looking out your window at a beautiful scene from your desk), entertaining guests, nurture a relationship (have a cup of coffee on the deck or patio with your mate), or creating a space for children and pets to play.
In Feng Shui, your patio, garden, front porch areas, are all extensions of the home. These outdoor spaces all have symbolic meanings just like the rooms inside the house. If your garden is in the center of the backyard, it is good for family and health.
To get started:
It’s helpful to have an intention for your outdoor space. Do you want it to be playful, meditative, or rejuvenating? Do you want it to attract wealth and abundance? Harmony, abundance, and balance can all be attained using the landscaping features outside your home.
If you have a strong desire to manifest something like peace of mind, then you can design your garden to help attract those things.
In Feng Shui design, the patio, garden, or lawn area is considered an extension of a life area.
Each direction represents a life area and one of the 5 elements in nature. They each have a color and shape. Here is a short guide with some enhancers to attract what you desire:
NORTH | Focuses on one’s career or path in life associated with Water.
- Blues
- Birdbaths/bird feeders
- Fountains
- Waterfalls
NORTHEAST | Focuses on one’s spiritual side or self-cultivation associated with Water and Wood.
- use blues, greens
- meditative garden bench
- spiritual statues or icons place in the garden for serenity
- water features and wind chimes go well here
EAST | Focuses on health and longevity associated with Wood.
- Greens: bushes, trees, plants.
- Wood fencing or shed
- Ornate trees with bright green leaves
- Balance green with lilacs and hydrangeas
SOUTH | Focuses on fame and reputation as well as prosperity associated with Fire.
- Reds and golds
- Roses, pointed plants like ferns
- Wooden or ceramic pots in reds
- Firepit or grill
- candles or lights
SOUTHEAST | Focuses on abundance, wealth, prosperity
- Coy ponds
- Flowing fountains in pools or in garden
- Birdbath
- Blooming trees
- Windchimes
- Reds, purples, blues, greens
SOUTHWEST | Focuses on love and relationships associated with Earth.
- Pinks, earth tones, terra cottas.
- Ceramic, tile, or brick for patio floors, pool areas, flowering pots.
- Intimate area using outdoor furniture; Place things in pairs as in a chair swing for two.
WEST | Focuses on creativity and pleasure associated with Metal.
- Whites, creams, and silver or metallic colors for outdoor furniture and décor.
- Flowers in various colors
- Windchimes
- Wonderful place for a children’s area or a playscape as well as an artist’s bench.
⇒ FAST TIP
Make sure you have a welcoming entrance that’s curved. If you enter through a gate from the side of the home, make sure it’s clutter-free. This allows for good flow leading to prosperity.
By transforming your garden and outdoor space, it can improve your well-being. Perfect your self-care platform through meditation, yoga, or gardening.
What better way to practice these activities than in your own backyard? Many people take vacations to get away from their homes. Why not make yours feel like a vacation destination?
Enjoy your space, enjoy the outdoors, but most of all – enjoy the positive changes you will see.
Article by Belinda Mendoza, Urban Feng Shui Master.
Classical Feng Shui–Austin, TX.
Belinda Mendoza is a Feng Shui expert located in Austin, TX. She became fascinated with the ancient Asian art of Feng Shui because its principles helped to catapult her own career. She had more pay raises and promotions when she began using Feng Shui than she had ever had before! Combining Eastern and Western Feng Shui techniques and methods have helped her clients achieve more prosperity and harmony in their businesses and lives over the past 20 years.
Read more about Belinda Mendoza here.
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