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There is hardly a Top-10 List of Do's and Don'ts when it comes to feng shui advice, and that includes exterior landscaping, because every property truly is unique. In fact, possibly the only universal feng shui-garden truth would be: No dead or dying plants. As an extension of that, if a diseased tree or plant is close to a house, the direction where this exists can predict a specific affect on the occupant. For example, the direction of west is associated with the teeth and breasts. If a person had a diseased tree just outside the west sector of their house, this negative chi (sha) could make it possible for occupants to have teeth or breast problems. Above and beyond this common sense maxim, landscaping and gardening applications often take their cue from the house itself and the lot shape. When it comes to the house, there are certain house types that benefit the occupants more when there is a water feature in front and other house types benefit the occupants more when there is a fountain in the back. When it comes to lot shape, if a plot narrows in the back, that configuration is seen as a circumstance where the occupants cannot hold onto their financial luck. The remedy is to square out the property in the back so that it does not come to a point. The lot shape is, ideally, a square or rectangular shape for the smoothest flow of chi (air currents). If a property slopes severely in the back, that might be another circumstance to have hedges or fencing to "shore up" the otherwise escaping chi. The trickle down affect is that it helps occupants of the property save their money easier. Another general truth, which requires no formal feng shui training, is the understanding that gardens should not be so over grown that they will block light and ventilation around a property. A chronically overgrown bush up against a window can make a room inside too dark, thus affecting the occupants negatively. Gardens serve many purposes that are complementary to feng shui theory, not the least of which is that most of us spend way too little time outdoors and if we have even a little patch of personal outside space to enjoy, it can relieve a lot of tension. There is no coincidence that apartment dwellers adorn their interiors with potted plants and just about everyone craves a little nature around them. Those especially motivated can even turn a modest balcony into a little zen garden. There is nothing particularly special about the type of plants or flowers used in a garden, despite a tremendous amount of Chinese folklore and cultural beliefs that are perpetuated in modern books and schools. As an example, in Chinese culture the peony is associated with love, bamboo with long life and the jade plant is associated with wealth, but these beliefs about plants and flowers are not ruling forces in the decisions made in high level feng shui evaluations. In the 1990's a popular feng shui garden "don't" was to not have cactus plants around your entry way or anywhere else that a person could easily brush up against and get scratched or pricked. While this is common sense, there is in fact one strange, non-obvious plant phenomenon that I have had personal experience with. For some reason, the banana plant often seems to be an "accomplice" at properties where the occupants report having a ghost. Just about 100% of my clients who have banana trees on their land will confirm that they definitely have or suspect they may have a spirit or two in their house. Kartar Diamond helps clients with both interiors and exteriors, residential and commerical properties. http://www.fengshuisolutions.net
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