How to Apply the Principles of Feng Shui to Landscape Your Yard

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Builders and developers, even many or most landscape architects, obviously have no knowledge or interest in feng shui principles based on how most subdivisions are laid out. This is most unfortunate because the principles of feng shui are very practical and beneficial to all human beings (and other species too--ask Mr. Bear how he chooses his lair for winter slumber). Regardless of where you live, you can always improve the feng shui. Remember, it's the overall effect of wind and water.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Step1

Imagine your entire lot flooded with water. Think about the flow of the water. If any part of your yard slopes downward toward your house, you should redirect that flow in another direction. This is not as difficult as you may think. An hour with a Bobcat and a good operator will allow you to create a sculpted ditch around your house and a month later you would have new grass to cut there. Bring in dirt to fill in or build up as needed. But don’t underestimate what you can accomplish with a shovel in an afternoon (make sure you wear leather gloves to protect your hands). Also, think about the impact of water flowing in other directions where it might wash away your drive or pour onto your neighbor’s lot.

Step2

Now think what will happen in a fierce wind storm. Normally you would think about tree limbs when it comes to wind. Also, include gravity in the wind category. So either don’t park your car under a tree or make sure you prune regularly. Leaves and pollen are not friends to cars in addition to anything else that falls out of trees. Any tree hanging over or near your house could lead to a branch banging on your roof. Pine trees are never safe--if a hurricane shows up in your area, the rainy few days before the wind comes loosens the soil and roots so that a pine tree can easily be blown over on top of your house. (Pine trees are the worst because they are tall and heavy with a very simple and unstable root system.)

Step3

Next, look out your front door down (or up) to the street, or wherever that direction takes you. Ultimately you would prefer to have your entrance above the street level with some kind of natural barrier in front, i.e., a grove of trees, shrubs or fence. Before making up your mind, walk to the edge of your property and look back at the entrance. A good measure is to imagine pointing a car straight at the entrance and flooring the accelerator pedal. If you could end up in the living room when you hit the house, then your feng shui needs some adjusting.

Step4

Repeat the last step from each direction. This process may lead to reworking your driveway so it winds a little instead of points straight at your kitchen. Or you might want to add a wall or section of fencing with some shrubs. Redirecting the energy into an entrance can be implemented with a few stepping stones and some flowers planted in the ground or in pots on either side of the entrance.