Review author: Terra Design School
Feng Shui is an eastern teaching aimed at achieving well-being and prosperity through the correct design of living areas.
As a basis for planning a site according to Feng Shui, you can take the Ba Gua octagon or the Lo Shu square.
Should I choose a square or an octagon? If you are taking your first steps in Feng Shui, it is better to choose a square. It's a little easier to work with.
The optimal area for decoration would be a square or rectangle-shaped area. To divide the land into the necessary squares, you should arm yourself with a compass and determine the cardinal directions relative to the site. As soon as this problem is solved and the land is planned, you can proceed directly to its design.
Each zone of the summer cottage will be responsible for a certain aspect of life according to Feng Shui.
Career
The location of the house on the site is not important. Only one point is important here - the central door faces north, this is the sector that is responsible for the career. A winding path should lead to the central door, along which Qi energy smoothly flows. It's a winding one, not a straight one.
Uneven flower beds with silver-blue and golden-white flowers also help in career matters. And no yellow color, it interferes with your career.
Among plants, preference should be given to hyacinths, delphiniums, black currant bushes and honeysuckle.
Fountains and natural springs are welcome in this place. No ponds! There should not be standing water in this place, as this interferes with advancement through the ranks.
The Dragon
The dragon is considered a creature responsible for well-being and prosperity; it protects against evil and protects against negative energy. It is the Dragon that gives birth to Qi energy, which attracts positive changes and brings the fulfillment of desires closer.
If there is no Dragon Hill, then you can install a bright lantern on the left side, which increases the energy of this sector.
Wisdom
The northeastern direction is responsible for self-education and wisdom. This area should be made as closed as possible from prying eyes. This is a place of solitude, silence and contemplation of beauty.
For decoration, you should select climbing plants, shrubs, trees with a dense crown that can hide this place from prying eyes. You can put a comfortable bench inside. Or hang a hammock.
Road and entrance to the house
Any road is, first of all, a channel of life-affirming energy. The smoothness of a road bend or the alignment of alleys that follow the landscape line ensures, as a consequence, the smooth flow of positive energy.
For the houses located along them, this energy is food. The specific nature of the highway carries danger due to its dynamics. The end of the road is characterized by energy stagnation. To balance the energy, as well as the formation of connecting threads, it is recommended to make the approach from the main roadway to the house extremely smooth and with maximum latitude.
Family
The eastern direction is responsible for the family. Therefore, it is worth dedicating this place to gatherings with family and friends over a cup of tea.
Be sure to fence off this area from the neighbor’s property with a hedge. Strangers should not see or interfere with your family again.
A grapevine is suitable as a hedge, and cherry, apple and peach (a Chinese symbol of longevity) would be appropriate for trees.
Northeast
This sector aims to encourage academic success. Root vegetables and spices are best suited for planting. To attract energy, you can decorate this area with stones.
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Wealth
The southeastern zone is responsible for prosperity and wealth. The far corner, which is often located behind the house. For gardening, this is where you can install a compost heap, well hidden from prying eyes; you should not spoil the aesthetics of the site.
Wealth loves water, so containers with water will not be superfluous here.
Among the plantings for this place, it is worth choosing tall columnar trees and street lamps on high legs, their purpose is to capture the energy of money and leave it on the site
Glory
Zone – south direction. In Feng Shui of a home and site, glory is directly related to fire. This is the ideal place for a barbecue or outdoor fireplace.
Flowers here can be planted burgundy or red roses, poppies, any with red shades will do. It is also worth paying attention to barberry and wine grapes.
Children
In Feng Shui, the west side is given to children. The best place for a children's playground. Laughter and fun will reign here.
- If there is eternal movement and excitement on the western side of the site, then the energy of cheerfulness and enthusiasm will never leave this place.
- If the children have already grown up, then to activate the energy, the area can be given to pets.
- If you are just planning to have children, then on the western side it is worth arranging flower beds with mallow.
Tiger
This brave animal personifies Yin energy. However, despite her feminine nature, she has a fair amount of strength and courage.
The tiger will reliably protect the owners of the plot from misfortunes and failures, fires and robberies, and will protect them from evil people and demons who bring discord into the family.
Teachers, reliable friends
Direction northwest. The best place to chat with family friends. Here you can install a canopy or gazebo for comfortable communication.
This sector prefers conciseness and strict lines. The sector is considered “male”; jasmine and thuja are suitable plants.
Also, this direction of the site is ideal according to Feng Shui for the location of the garage, parking lot and entrance gate. To attract reliable friends to your home, it is recommended to install a lantern with soft, diffuse light at the entrance to the site.
Relationships, love
In Feng Shui, all zones are equal. However, based on the condition of plants in the southwestern direction, one can judge the ability of the owners to get along with others. Living flowers, shrubs and plants filled with strength speak of a light character and non-conflict. Sluggish, dull, diseased plants encourage you to reconsider your relationships with others.
It is better to plant all shrubs and trees in this area in pairs. And it is preferable to make flower beds in pairs and symmetrical. Tulips, irises, lilies, and sunflowers have proven themselves well in the southwestern direction.
Five elements in the garden
In accordance with the theory of the mutual influence of all five Chinese elements on each other - water, earth, wood, metal and fire, a connection with certain numbers, cardinal directions, plants or objects is manifested. For example, a stone is a symbol of the Earth, a barbecue is fire, a pond is water. The relationships between elements can be destructive or creative. Therefore, do not install a barbecue (element of Fire) near a pond, since Water is destructive to Fire.
It is necessary to remove these elements from each other or place a wooden gazebo between them, which allows them to have minimal impact on each other. An example of a harmonious combination of elements in a garden is the arrangement of red flowers near a wooden fence (Fire and Wood), bushes and trees around a pond (Wood and Water), and a boulder next to a metal bench (Earth and Metal).
Site center
If you take the Lo Shi square as a basis for designing a plot according to Feng Shui, then the center is the Tai Chi zone, the zone of health and vitality. The ideal option in this case is a center empty of buildings with a low spiral-shaped flowerbed and rays of paths spreading out from it, along which life-giving force flows into the center.
If we take the Ba-Gua octagon as a basis, then there is no center as such, and the zone of health and vitality is considered in the northeast (in this teaching, the family zone is combined with the zone of relationships and love and, accordingly, the southwest is formed taking this point into account). A great place for medicinal herbs and evergreen shrubs and trees.
Turtle
If the location of the site according to Feng Shui is not very favorable and there is no hill behind the house, then you can increase the Turtle zone by erecting a wall behind the house or planting a large garden.
In Chinese teachings, this leisurely animal signifies wisdom, longevity, stability and health. In landscape design, this is a reliable protection from troubles, a reliable foundation and a solid foundation for family relationships.
Lucky moments
- The garden should be filled with light, so it is better to save large spreading trees for the distant background.
- No sick plants, they bring negative energy and difficulties, what can be cured is treated, what cannot be cured is destroyed.
- Butterflies, insects, birds, they personify the eternal movement of life, the cycle of energy. To attract them, feeders are placed throughout the site.
- When designing, it is worth considering that each zone has its own basic element; to fully reveal its zone, its presence is required.
- We must remember that when designing a site according to Feng Shui, you should not overload it with an abundance of details. There must be a single harmony of space.
Health
The center of the site must accumulate all the incoming energy and transmit it to its owners.
An ideal option for arranging a Health zone would be an open lawn, complemented by a flower bed with a spiral inside. Paths should diverge from the lawn, which will ensure the replenishment of energy from all other zones.
