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articles about and by Carol Olmstead
Feng Shui Garden Sanctuary
Feng Shui garden design is based on harmony and on balancing the chi, or energy, around you. No matter whether you have a large backyard, simple side garden, or an apartment patio, you can create a Feng Shui garden sanctuary that will help you rest, relax, nurture your spirit, and unwind after a long day.
When you start to create your Feng Shui garden retreat, first decide how you want to use your space. If you want solitude, add only one chair to your garden sanctuary, but if you want company, include a table with chairs. If you want to sit back and enjoy the colors and fragrances of your garden, but you don’t want daily weeding and watering, consider planting perennials and other low-maintenance plants. If you need to relax, consider xeriscaping, which involves using plants that don’t need much watering, and therefore don’t need much of your time and attention.
Select flowers and flowering shrubs in colors of the Five Elements that represent how you want to use your garden retreat – hot pink will fill your space with energy, red represents romance, yellow brightens your spirit, orange encourages conversation, white and soft green add peaceful energy, blue and lavender help you relax and restore your spirit.
Here are six essentials to add to your “secret” garden to create your own personal retreat.
1. Art. Include a focal point such as a sculpture, brightly painted art on a wall, an orb or gazing globe, a pottery urn, a hand-painted chair, or an art piece made by a friend to personalize your garden space.
2. Fragrance. Plant highly-fragrant plants and herbs, such as lemon scented geraniums, lavender, roses, jasmine, or catmint, either in the ground or in a special ceramic pot.
3. Furnishings. Add a special chair to your garden retreat to create an intimate space and sanctuary for contemplation.
4. Screening. Borders and boundaries are an important part of using Feng Shui in landscaping to create a sense of enclosure for your garden sanctuary, especially a beautiful stone wall, hedge, fence, or vine covered area.
5. Water. Whether you add a simple, free-standing fountain or install a waterfall, the soft sound of gently bubbling water against rocks adds a soothing rhythm that helps you get away from it all.
6. Candlelight. It’s always a nice Feng Shui touch to add the soft glow of candlelight so you can use your garden retreat in the evening hours. This kind of lighting ranges from small and large candles to lanterns.
Be sure you control clutter in your garden sanctuary, including deadheading plants when their blooms fade and removing dead plant material. Whenever you can, choose plants with soft and rounded leaves, rather than spiky plants like cactus. Try to include representations of all Five Elements – Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Wood – to help your garden feel balanced. And be sure to create pathways through the garden that gently curve and meander, rather than straight line paths that push the energy through your garden too quickly.
When you start to create your Feng Shui garden retreat, first decide how you want to use your space. If you want solitude, add only one chair to your garden sanctuary, but if you want company, include a table with chairs. If you want to sit back and enjoy the colors and fragrances of your garden, but you don’t want daily weeding and watering, consider planting perennials and other low-maintenance plants. If you need to relax, consider xeriscaping, which involves using plants that don’t need much watering, and therefore don’t need much of your time and attention.
Select flowers and flowering shrubs in colors of the Five Elements that represent how you want to use your garden retreat – hot pink will fill your space with energy, red represents romance, yellow brightens your spirit, orange encourages conversation, white and soft green add peaceful energy, blue and lavender help you relax and restore your spirit.
Here are six essentials to add to your “secret” garden to create your own personal retreat.
1. Art. Include a focal point such as a sculpture, brightly painted art on a wall, an orb or gazing globe, a pottery urn, a hand-painted chair, or an art piece made by a friend to personalize your garden space.
2. Fragrance. Plant highly-fragrant plants and herbs, such as lemon scented geraniums, lavender, roses, jasmine, or catmint, either in the ground or in a special ceramic pot.
3. Furnishings. Add a special chair to your garden retreat to create an intimate space and sanctuary for contemplation.
4. Screening. Borders and boundaries are an important part of using Feng Shui in landscaping to create a sense of enclosure for your garden sanctuary, especially a beautiful stone wall, hedge, fence, or vine covered area.
5. Water. Whether you add a simple, free-standing fountain or install a waterfall, the soft sound of gently bubbling water against rocks adds a soothing rhythm that helps you get away from it all.
6. Candlelight. It’s always a nice Feng Shui touch to add the soft glow of candlelight so you can use your garden retreat in the evening hours. This kind of lighting ranges from small and large candles to lanterns.
Be sure you control clutter in your garden sanctuary, including deadheading plants when their blooms fade and removing dead plant material. Whenever you can, choose plants with soft and rounded leaves, rather than spiky plants like cactus. Try to include representations of all Five Elements – Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, Wood – to help your garden feel balanced. And be sure to create pathways through the garden that gently curve and meander, rather than straight line paths that push the energy through your garden too quickly.
