Street appeal is the first rule of presentation for sale with good reason. After all, the more people you get onto your property the better. Check for healthy plants and add some colourful foliage or flowering plants along the front path to attract attention.
If you are considering a sloping block of land, it is best to have the high side at the back and a gentle slope toward the front, rather than the reverse. Wherever possible, when landscaping or building, the least amount of disturbance to the natural lay of the land is preferable.
Think of the rear aspect of your garden as being the support area of your property, much like a high backed, comfortable armchair. Anything that adds height such as a high fence, large shrubs, trees or a raised, terrace will help give you a sense of containing your space and protecting your back.
Consider including a gently curved path to your front door, placing the gate off centre so there is not a direct line between the two. This will prevent Sha Qi (negative or 'cutting' energy) from 'piercing' the entrance to your home.
Now is a good time to catch up on garden maintenance projects. As you tidy up and tackle each task, take time to plan for where you will plant spring flowers. Be creative, try something new.
Take a fresh look at your garden. Does it inspire you creatively? Or has it become predictable and a little dull? What could you change structurally, plant or put in your garden to enliven it?
In your courtyard, patio or on your deck, try to design using mosaic tiles on a small, round table or pots to add impact.
Cushions provide an interest to patio furniture. Brightly coloured cushions, in a bold design will enliven patio furniture, whereas simple ticking stripes are subtle and may be more your style. Keep them in a trunk in a nearby sheltered spot for protection from the elements when not in use.
A very dark, shady corner of the garden can come to life using white, pale tones of pink or yellow blooms. Whils red is usuallyt he preferred complimentary colour for green, in heavy shade (yin) light colours tend to work better for contrast (adding yang).
To give a lift to an area with lots of green foliage, try plants with variegated foliage or flowers in reds, yellows, bright purples or oranges.
A well lit pathway to the front door is both welcoming and safe. This will also enhance your career, or life path. If you have a workbench in your back yard shed, and you like to potter in the evenings, allow for lighting the pathway here too. Solar lighting will save on the energy bills.
Use an up-light so a favourite garden feature such as a fountain, pool or spectacular tree can be enjoyed whilst you relax on your deck or patio in the evening.
Whilst the benefits of a healthy, flourishing garden are obvious to us, a tree trunk that is in direct line with the centre of your front door is not recommended. In terms of feng shui, the door to your home is considered to be the mouth, or entry, into the heart which is your private sanctuary. Strictly speaking, a tree trunk can give off 'sha' (unwanted) 'chi if it is placed in such a way that it becomes concentrated. Directed at your front door it resembles a spear piercing your heart.
If your front door is at right angles to your pathway (not directly facing the street, for instance), try using potted plants to draw in 'good' energy. By placing one to several pots in strategic places, you will really notice the difference. Trust your instincts, play with it, and you will get a feel for what works best.
Whilst lots of greenery is calming and cooling, an overrun jungle can be too clinging and stagnant. Is there some light amongst the shade, or colour amongst the foliage? Or do your guests feel trapped? Are you constantly reminded of the need to trim and clean up? Take action to rectify this. Break it down into manageable tasks, get help from friends, family or professionals.
Is there an absence of movement, an overabundance of stillness? Go outside, look, listen and feel. Consider if any of the following would help to balance the area: a wind chime, a bird feeder or bird bath, brightly coloured prayer flags or banners, a small water feature with moving water. There are many possibilities: what others can you come up with? Select one, try it and experience the difference for yourself!
For busy people, taking time to stop, relax and enjoy being in your garden can reap many beneficial rewards. Often, this is when the answers to a niggling problem will appear. Desk bound people may discover that half an hour weeding leaves them refreshed and with a calmer mind than before.
A specific area in your garden for contemplation is highly recommended. This would include a comfortable seat and shade. Remember, the purpose of a garden is to enhance our wellbeing, not to impress others, nor to become a burdensome workload.
Large rocks, especially when accompanied by the gentle sound of trickling water can be used to evoke a sense of stillness and substance to an area of the garden.
Statues or sculptures, on the other hand, may be more appealing and suitable for you. They too can bring a feeling of solidity to anchor and balance your garden. The important thing to remember here is that your sculpture should have meaning for you and that you find it pleasing and uplifting.
Provide a screen to conceal your rubbish bins from sight, allowing for ease of access for collection day.
Fix leaking taps and replace split hoses around the garden. Not only do they cost you in water rates, symbolically they are said to drain away health and good fortune.
Arbors, patios, and gate houses all add interest and shade to a garden. You can soften those heavy beams above your outdorr seating with a flowering creeper.
For your patio, if you entertain or eat here often, installing up lighting or fairy lights will assist to deflect the effects of down bearing chi.
If you have screened a patio for privacy, an attractively framed mirror on the latticed wall can give the illusion of expanding the area, especially when the image reflected is an attractive garden.
A tiny courtyard can be given a more spacious feeling by the addition of a large mirror on the back fence or wall. This can be most effective when surrounding the edges with a clipped vine, or placing an arch way and pavers just in front to create an illusion of depth.
Share the delights of your garden, through giving cut flowers from your own garden when visiting friends, or snip some cuttings for your neighbour.
For those of you who enjoy a daily walk, pop a note in the letterbox to say thankyou for an attractive garden that lifts your spirits throughout the year.
Are you one of the many gardeners who never brings your own flowers inside? Reward yourself at the end of a long day at work by enjoying the "flowers of your weekend labour" and bring some of your garden inside. Just make sure they are fresh and discard them as soon as they wilt.
On your way to work, stop for a moment to pick a bloom (or several) to put on your office desk and see what a difference it makes.
When it is dry, remember the fauna in your garden appreciate water as much as your plants do.
Check with your nursery to identify butterfly and bird attracting plants such as buddleja davidii (butterfly bush).
Spend some time investigating domestic and public gardens, nurseries. Take your time and enjoy! What are your favourite scented flowers and herbs, colours, sounds, types of plants, landscaping materials etc. How would you incorporate these features in your own garden?
Scents that are redolent of pleasant experiences are important in your garden. Pine, frangipani, jasmine, gardenias, rosemary ... What would you choose? Fragrance in the garden encourages us to slow down. In other words, take the time to smell the roses.
Do you have something in your garden to suggest abundance? For some it's an area for friends and family together. For you it may be a quiet space to sit, or a special feature plant; to another, a thriving vegetable patch. Or a beautiful piece of outdoor artwork. The answers are many varied.
Traditionally, flexible, woody plants suggest the movement of wind. You may wish to place plants of this nature in the back left hand corner of your garden. Alternatively, flowering plants in bright colours, particularly purple and red are auspicious. However, if you are an earthy type and tend to your favourite orchids in the shade house here this may be more symbolic of abundance to you.
If you live at the end of a T-junction, particularly if the oncoming road slopes down toward you, a high fence, with tall shrubs or trees is recommended to slow down the onslaught of too much energy. Imagine if it was a river!
If possible, have some space (lawn or paving) between the front of your house and the front fence. This encourages fresh energy to enter your home.
Clean up all debris, remove all dead plants and rusting or decaying matter, to remove inertia, and promote free flowing fresh air.
Is your garden healthy? If not, attend to it. Be kind to your plants and they will reward you over and over, producing an abundance of uplifting, positive Chi.
Stand alone square pillars inside homes are highly inauspicious. The sharp edges of such pillars create killing Chi. If the corner is aimed directly at the main door, the bad luck caused can be severe. The sharp, pointed edge of protruding corners also represent harmful Chi lines, and is therefore bad Feng Shui. The best way to neutralise corners like these is to grow a climbing plant up the column encouraging the leaves and branches to diffuse the ferocity of the edge. Hanging plants can also be attached to a bracket on the column. A fuschia plant for example makes an attractive display.
The front gate is the point at which you leave the outside world behind. Do you feel it's great to be home? Is it welcoming? Consider a gate house with a pretty flowering creeper for shade, paired groupings of potted plants, a meandering path to guide guests to the front door.
Well kept gardens and entrances indicate confidence and vitality. Dead plants convey the quality of death. Not very inspiring at your front entrance! Rickety fences, broken steps, unkempt lawns, broken pots all indicate a lack of self worth, or that you're too busy to take care of yourself.
Birds are 'living' chi (energy) and most auspicious in your garden. The sound of chirping birds, represents abundance and blessings. To attract them into your garden, consider planting some native shrubs. Your local nursery will advise you of the most suitable types.
The gentle sound of water can be most soothing to many people. A water feature in you front garden is most appropriate. Check that the pump is not too noisy. Stagnant water, on the other hand attracts mosquitos and may indicate that you are feeling stuck in your career or life journey.
Feng Shui tips are provided by Lesley Vink (Dip. Applied Feng Shui - Design, member AFSAA). A partner in FS SOLUTIONS, and a practitioner of Applied Feng Shui.
For further information, or if you would like to engage the services of a consultant, please contact Lesley on Phone 0500 502 660; e-mail fs_sol@aus3.com; or visit FS Solutions website.
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