West Meets East©

By Caroline Patrick

Feng Shui Ideas for Any Garden

There are many ways to entice energy into your surrounding living and working spaces. Feng Shui, or the ancient art of placement, provides many formulas using the five elements, color, shapes and forms to help you decide how to utilize these systems when designing your gardens.

First, decide what type of garden will assist your life. Are you wanting a new career, college education, family unity, more money coming your way, your boss to notice your productivity, a better love life, time for fun, finding better associates and helpers in your work and play, travel and visit other places or to heal and attract better health?

The five elements of Water, Wood, Fire, Metal and Earth have properties which pull different kinds of energy or Chi into your environment. Using these energies in your gardens will bring balance and harmony to that section or area of your life.

Next, color plays a huge part in attracting these necessary elements. Each element is assigned a color. Water is black or blue black, Wood is green, Fire is red, Metal is white and Earth is yellow and other earth colors. Mixing and matching color, size, texture and shape of plants, flowers, trees and objects are yours to design.

Using certain shapes in different sections of your landscaping pulls into each Qua or area your desired element. For example Water is brought into the space with actual water or a design depicting a flowing or wavy feature. Wood is column-shaped, Fire is pointed or cone-shaped, Metal is round or a circle formation, while Earth is square and oblong.

The next decision of the gardener is “what type of garden brings me pleasure and can assist me in my next journey?” The creative process now begins and the choices are yours. Here are some examples I have used over the years.

Meditation or Praying area – Any spot you choose is perfect for reflection; add a garden gazing ball for a focal point.

Remembrance Garden – A private sanctuary for loved ones who have passed on

Healing Garden – Filled with medicinal herbal plants; choose a Bagua-shaped garden design and fill with healing herbs for your dis-ease.

Labyrinth Garden – A pathway to mediation, walking to the center of life.

Children’s area – Children’s play area using round shapes and herbs, swing set or tire swing, nooks and crannies for hide and seek.

Medicine Wheel – A great healing wheel of rock placement and stations of totem animals.

Wisdom Gardens – Gem stones, water, earth crystals, hanging wind chimes.

Lovers’ Garden – Two objects of equal size, statues, birds, man and woman, a bench or swing for two, a private gazebo for late night romance! A great place to conceive a new little one!

A Power Garden – Rocks, gems, crystals hanging, wind chimes, temple and religious statue; design this special setting with an overview, where you can observe it from a higher vantage point.

Fame or Future Garden – Outdoor fireplace, tiki torches, candles, red flowers and flags.

Retirement Garden – Plants of lavender and other pastel-colored flowers, a peaceful seating bench at the end of a pathway for reflection.

Missing Gua or Cure Gardens – Correct placement of enhancements such as light, color, flowers or trees to include an outbuilding or to “fill in” a floor plan with is lacking certain walls, but can be corrected with outside “cures.”

Fill in your special gardens with correct-shaped trees, plants, objects and colors to empower the design even more. Use a variety of colors, aromas, sounds, lights (new solar lights need no electricity) and ground forms. Trim dead limbs and leaves from trees and bushes. Overgrown and dying foliage pulls Chi downward.

If dead trees need removing, always replace with new growth. A temporary solution could be placing potted flowering plants on top of the stump or on the ground after the tree comes down. Trimming tree limbs can put a strain on the family’s “limbs,” or arms and legs. Cutting down trees is a type of surgery on your property. All energy is reflective. All plant life is related to the Wood Element, and the Wood Element is related to Family life.

Discover new plant forms shapes which are up-growing lush vegetation for a healthy environment. Learn the art of placement and use the ancient science to improve your gardening. Call 360-424-1501 for consultations anywhere regarding landscaping ideas for your home according to Feng Shui principles.

I now have a Feng Shui representative in the Bay Area for on-site evaluations! She will take the on-site information and I will do the final mapping of the home, business or landscaping.

CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS 2006------sign up now------

1. ART classes and workshops ---- from 6 weeks to Saturday All Day Workshops!

2. FENG SHUI ISLAND TOUR---- on site evaluations in the San Juan Islands, WASHINGTON STATE

Where is the entrance or “Mouth of Chi” to the Island?

Please email caroline@fengshuiartistry.com for more information on classes or to purchase her greeting cards.

This site is great. GO TO www.fengshuifusions.com for all of your Feng Shui shopping needs, ask for Amanda and tell her Caroline sent you. She has great energy and that is important........ or order by phone, 1-800-792-9927,

Caroline Patrick Caroline's Feng Shui Concepts Mt. Vernon, WA 360-424-1501

caroline@fengshuiartistry.com www.fengshuiartistry.com www.moongateschool.com

Caroline Patrick, Feng Shui consultant/practitioner, teacher/speaker, Feng Shui artist and writer, lives in the San Juan Islands, off the coast of Washington. Her weekly newspaper article called WEST MEETS EAST is a popular Feng Shui advice column. She enjoys answering your questions, when possible. Some questions will be chosen for publication with the permission from the reader. Enjoy her new 5 Element attached-folding cards which can be used as a Feng Shui enhancement or correction in any space. Larger prints of several selected paintings are also available. For consultations, speaking/teaching engagements and art evaluations contact her at caroline@fengshuiartistry.com or visit her websites at www.fengshuiartistry.com and www.moongateschool.com.

Any suggestions given in this column are only for entertainment. Please contact your physician for any medical or herbal advice or diagnosis. Caroline Patrick is not responsible for any misuse of her advice or suggestions.