Feng Shui your garden
Extract from The Feng Shui Doctor by Paul Darby (£9.99, Duncan Baird Publishers)
Curves and colours
Originally, in ancient China, feng shui was used for choosing grave sites, crops and planting, and positioning homes. Therefore, gardens or back yards are important spaces in feng shui. Classical feng shui gardens are asymmetrical, and the centre (the tai chi) is left clear. However, you can have any style of garden - an English cottage garden, a Mediterranean-style garden, a formal courtyard, or a simple back yard with some pots - and still apply feng shui effectively.
Think of your garden as an extension of your house (within the same pa kua). By using feng shui, you can connect the energies of the indoors and the outdoors. The chi from your garden will flow through your house, complementing the energies within your home.
Laying out your garden
First, you need to set your intention for the garden: define who will be using it and what you want to use it for. Then decide on the mix of yin and yang energy you prefer. Different areas can be suitable for different purposes. The chi of a feng shui garden is usually yin: relaxing (sung chih) and stress-free. However, most gardens also have pockets where yang energy is more to the fore; these areas are better for socializing and family activities.
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