People are more accustomed to using Feng Shui inside their homes but who said it can’t be used outside too? It can help create a seamless flow from your home to the outdoors.
Using Feng Shui principles to design your outdoor space will create synchrony, balance and harmony among the natural elements causing them to circulate to every part of the space.
Furthermore, Feng Shui can help you make beautiful arrangements and decorations around your space making it the most desired relaxation spot in the home.
Below are the principles you should follow to add Feng Shui to your outdoor space.
Bring in the Five Elements To Your Space
The five elements serve as a blueprint for designing your outdoor space and represent various forms of qi (energy) that can initiate a natural inclination towards spending time outdoors, thereby increasing your love for nature.
A water feature can represent water, wood represents green trees and plants, metal represents circular wind chimes or white flowering plants, and earth can represent stone pavement and structures.
Incorporate a Twisty Path
If your outdoor space is a patio with a garden, you can create a path with lots of twists and turns that extends from the patio and leads directly into the garden.
According to Feng Shui experts, having a twisty path that leads to your front door slows down your qi (energy).
For instance, you are a customer service rep and you had a client say insulting and demeaning words to you and your only response was “I’m sorry, we’ll look into it sir” as opposed to how you really felt. You went home angry and frustrated.
Walking down the twisty path from your gate will slow your angry pace, giving time to look around your surroundings. You won’t realize it when you start appreciating the cool breeze blowing through your hair, the flowers, the birds, and the general view of your outdoor space. By the time you get to your front door, all the anger and frustration is gone and you’re left with peace and calm.
This will prevent you from taking the bad energy from the anger and frustration into your home.
Have a Variety of Plants
Most people get confused when it comes to planting as per Feng Shui—there’s no complexity to it. Simply plant greens of different types and sizes.
If your outdoor space is a patio, you should construct and design your patio stone in a way that will help the qi in the surrounding circulate appropriately. Craft your patio stone to create space for planting, or place potted plants at locations that would not disrupt the flow in the surroundings.
In the case of an outdoor garden, avoid sharp-edged garden beds, circular beds will help soften the lines and enhance the continuous flow of qi.
Maintain a Clean Environment
Make sure your garden or patio is free of dirt, unused items, sharp objects, dried leaves, and other kinds of waste. Ideally, you can add low-maintenance composite decking to your outdoor space because it is easy to clean and won’t require you to dedicate hours to maintaining its smooth appearance.
Keeping your garden area dirt-free will improve the flow of qi and establish a sense of harmony and balance in your home.
Bring in Wind Chimes To Your Outdoor Space
To effectively incorporate the wind element, use objects that can move instead of rigid or stationary ones. This will make it easy for qi to move freely.
Wind chimes are perfect for this—strategically place them in your outdoor space to express the wind element. Before you buy one, make sure you like the sound it makes so that it doesn’t become annoying to listen to in the long haul.
If your residential area is close to an expressway, it can be a great way to train your ears to block out background sounds like neighbours or traffic.
Alternatively, you can use a pinwheel as a wind element for your outdoor space. Or, you can use wind-blown plants like creeping willows or daffodils, it’s all about your creativity.
Add Plants That Appeal To All Five Senses
Grow plants that can be useful like citrus, fruit-producing shrubs and ever-green plants and flowers that are visually pleasing like roses which signify love and happiness, peonies which signify riches and allure, marigolds which signify excitement and laughter, and orchids which signify fruitfulness and plenty.
Make sure the plants are located in areas that receive a lot of sunlight so that you won’t have dead plants all around your outdoor space, it’s never a good sign and it can bring bad energy into your space.
You can also plant flowers with delightful scents like gardenias, lavender, jasmine, peony, hyacinth, sweet pea, etc or sweet-smelling greens like lemon myrtle. Walking around your garden or patio, surrounded by these appealing combos, can elevate your spirit in seconds.
Incorporate a Water Feature
This is the best way to add water, an essential element of Feng Shui to your outdoor space. It can be a swimming pool, water fountain, pond, etc but make sure the water source is kept clean. In the case of a swimming pool, make sure the water is changed and treated regularly.
Ensure you have a functional drainage system to prevent water-logging during rainy seasons. Stagnant water will breed insects and foul smell which can ultimately disrupt the flow of qi in your outdoor space.
Conclusion
There you have it, the principles of Feng Shui incorporated into your outdoor space! Remember to stay creative while following the principles and you will create an outdoor space that you can brag about.