I start by thanking my brother-in-law Alfredo for much of my knowledge in Landscaping. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2021 and is greatly missed. May he be creating many wonderful gardens wherever he is! Cheers!!!

Using my training in Architecture, my specialization, and intense professional experience in Landscaping since 1983, over the years I have fallen in love with analyzing, feeling, savoring each space, each landscaping environment created by me and my dear brother-in-law, Landscape Agronomist Alfredo Duarte da Conceição (1947 – 2021), an excellent professional who had great knowledge of the subject, was super competent and passionate about his work.

It is always great to see the Feng Shui Philosophy being applied to the external landscape, as we know how much it reflects on the interior of any space. Feng Shui should start on the outside of a home or commercial space.

As an architect, landscaper, and Feng Shui consultant, I have become convinced with each passing year how much Landscaping applied within the principles of Feng Shui can nourish a place and make it shine.

Feng Shui is a philosophy that dates back to the ancient Chinese civilization. Its goal is to create a harmonious and positive energy in a space. To achieve this, it balances the five elements in alignment with the orientation of the 8 areas of the BAGUA, plus the center, and takes into account the life purposes of the people who reside or work there.

Feng shui is not about achieving perfection; but rather it is about achieving balance.

Using Feng Shui principles, you can incorporate specific elements into your designs to encourage and invite the energies of wealth, prosperity, and good luck into your home.

I am an architect and landscaper and I started my training in Feng Shui Landscaping in Spain. If you do not have professional training as a landscape architect or any specialization in the area of Landscaping, the ideal would be for you to work together with a professional Landscaper so that together you can seek out the Landscaping technique combined with the art of Feng Shui. But, using the basic principles of Feng Shui, you will be able to help the landscaper create a space of balance and peace that brings well-being and joy, which has energy fluidity that is equally important as the interior of a home, a company, or an office.

I begin by clarifying that the Feng Shui landscape is defined as the layer of physical and energetic space outside the structure of the house. Imagine seeing your home from above: the inside of your home has the greatest influence on you and your family. Now envision the next concentric circle of influence directly outside your home, then the next circle, and so on. Each circle impacts you, but to a lesser extent, when you move away from your space. Whether it is your deck, backyard, patio, front yard, your land, your neighbor's land, or the street, all the various circles will have a certain impact.

If you reside in an apartment, a gated community, or any other situation where you lack a dedicated outdoor space that is entirely under your control, it is still vital to consider the Feng Shui landscape. What happens outside your door also impacts the Feng Shui of your home. There are things you can do out there, if necessary, to improve the imbalances within.

I want to clarify that the Feng Shui landscape refers to the physical and energetic space surrounding a house, outside of its structure. Imagine seeing your home from above. The inside of your home has the most influence on you and your family. Now envision the next concentric circle of influence directly outside your home, then the next circle, and so on. When you move away from your personal area, such as your deck, backyard, patio, front yard, or even your neighbor's land or the street, each surrounding circle will still have an impact on you, although to a lesser extent.

It is still crucial to look at your Feng Shui landscape. What happens outside your door also has an impact on the Feng Shui of your home. There are things you can do out there, if necessary, to improve the imbalances within.

There is a School of Feng Shui called the School of Form. As the name suggests, this school focuses on the "form" of things and how they interact and produce auspicious or inauspicious Chi (vital energy) in the landscape. There are many factors to be evaluated such as mountains, hills, ocean, lakes, rivers, streams, rocks, boulders, ledges, wasteland, buildings, towers, poles, cemeteries, churches, antennas, walls, factories, highways, streets, bridges, floor level, dense forest, plants, shrubs, tall trees and other landscape elements.

Here are some useful suggestions on how to look at your landscape using Feng Shui principles that I have prepared for you!

We use the Bagua to define the internal and external areas of a location. The word Bagua (Ba= eight and Gua= areas) refers to the eight areas (plus the center) of the space to which you are applying Feng Shui. Each area has a certain meaning, color, shape, number, and an associated element. According to the Black Hat Tibetan School of Feng Shui, the main door of a property is the entrance of Chi, and the same rule applies to the garden. The Bagua must be aligned with the wall of the entrance door to the built area or with the lot line where you enter the site. Here come the areas and tips.

WORK AREA

Located at the front center of your lot when viewed from the main entrance into the interior, this area is associated with career, work, life journey, mission, and professional aspirations. It is a place where the owner could place a sculpture or object that shows something about their profession! It is a place to have a water feature moving towards the house, a place where a lake, waterfall, water mirror, fountain, or birdbath are welcome.

Remember to use an oxygen pump when possible so the energy doesn't stagnate. Always keep the water clean and, if you want, add eight red fish and one black fish. It is also an area for dark shrubs, dark-colored flowers, dark vases, weeping or loose-shaped trees, metal accents (such as wind chimes), or a sign (if it is a commercial property).

It is a great place to create a mosaic, for example, with elements of the sea, calm waves or river, fish, dolphins, seahorses, turtles, an image of a mermaid, shells, or just a water landscape.

KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM AREA

It is located on the front left of your lot, looking from the main entrance into the interior. This area is related to self-knowledge and self-cultivation.

This space should be your refuge, a pleasant place to go when you feel helpless and need to find inner peace. It is the ideal spot for a Zen garden because this place favors the development of sensitivity, wisdom, personal growth, and intuition.

It is a great place to have a spot for meditation, yoga, or just a place to sit and reflect. It relates to stability, tranquility, and stillness. In this area, try to harmoniously merge your garden furniture with nature, with your plants so as not to interrupt the energy flow.  It is a place to create a Japanese garden using stones, soft lighting lamps, sand, few plants, mandalas (you can do them as a mosaic on the wall or even on the floor), and ceramic objects and vases are welcome. Give preference to small mounds of earth, ceramics, boulders, earthy, blue and yellow flowers, and square shapes.

FAMILY AREA

Looking from the main entrance into the interior, this area is located in the middle left or your lot.

This is the area of family relationships, genealogy, ancestors, what came before us, which shows our connection with ancestors and descendants. It is a space of growth, rebirth, harmony, peace, which can promote growth and support in your family life.

It is the place for soft lighting, a deck, wooden, bamboo, or rattan furniture (which represent stability), green wooden furniture, trellises, green vases, a moving water feature, a fountain, a swimming pool. It is a meeting point.

WEALTH AREA

Located at the back left of yout lot, this área looking from the main entrance into the interior.

If you want to attract abundance and prosperity, focus on this area. It is also an area for good businesses, investments, and new financial opportunities.

It is the place where you must place round-shaped objects that resemble coins (wind chimes made with coins), windsocks, mobiles, wooden fish, moving water features, such as a fountain, a swimming pool, an aquarium (where you place 9 little fish), wooden furniture and objects, a deck, trellises, symbols that will make you feel so abundant, purple and yellow flowers.

FAME AREA

This area is situated in the back center of your lot, looking from the main entrance into the interior. It will enhance your visibility in the world if you seek to be seen, admired, valued, and recognized.

It is not a place to have water, so avoid having things like a fountain or pool. Great place for a barbecue, outdoor fireplace, for more light, lanterns, torchlights, for a kennel, pointed shapes, a mosaic on the wall with an image of the sun, fire or light, pyramid-shaped trees, red, purple and orange flowers, wooden furniture, deck.

RELATIONSHIP AREA

It is located in the back right of your lot, looking from the main entrance into the interior.

It refers to relationships in general, as well as more intimate relationships and marriage, so make this a welcoming place for family and friends to hang out. This area is a place for a deck or gazebo for social gatherings. The relationship area is very feminine. The energy of it can bring luck to your heart. Energizing this area increases your chance of meeting your soulmate.

Place objects there in pairs (at least one pair) to reinforce intentions in living next to someone and allowing goals to come true: a couple of angels, two ceramic vases with identical plants, two sculptures, ceramics, pairs of stones or rocks, predominantly red, white, pink, yellow flowers.

Never place sharp elements or plants in this area. Use square shapes to represent the Earth, which is the element that governs this area.

CHILDREN AND CREATIVITY AREA

It is situated in the middle right of your lot, looking from the main entrance into the interior.

This area pertains to the future, creativity, ideas, fertility, and future generations. It includes children (whether we have them or plan to have them), new hobbies, and our inner child.

Use your creativity here. Place fun objects, toys, and things related to children and creation in this area. It is an appropriate place to practice yoga and to have whimsical symbols such as fairies, ceramics, rocks, metal objects (wind chimes, lamps, sculptures, decorations, table and chairs), round-shaped trees, and white, yellow, and pastel flowers.

The Children Area can stimulate the growth of any offspring or projects. If you happen to have difficulty finishing things, this is also a great area to take care of.

HELPFUL PEOPLE AND TRAVEL AREA

It is located in the front right of your lot, looking from the main entrance into the interior.

This area triggers the flow of Chi energy, which attracts support from both Heaven and Earth when and where you need it most, as well as for the people you will help. It attracts all people who can enter your life by adding something positive and also provides possibilities for contributing to someone else's life story. It benefits personal or business trips, revealing precious opportunities in faraway, interesting, or unknown locations.

For the Chinese, this area symbolizes Paradise – hence the evocation of Celestial Beings.

It is an excellent place to have images of Angels and Buddhas, a place for souvenirs from a different and attractive country, travel, or typical decoration of a place where you have traveled or intend to travel. Complement with metallic objects (brass cupboards, sideboards, round iron tables, chairs, metal ornaments, sculptures, white, greyish, yellow flowers, rounded trees, rocks, ceramics, symbols related to Heaven such as angels, and metal wind chimes. Use anything metallic, such as brass and iron holders.

HEALTH AREA

It is situated in the very center of your lot, looking from the main entrance into the interior.

It establishes the connection with other areas, balancing them. It promotes longevity, balance, and general well-being.

Try to keep this area free and clean at all times. Avoid trees and lifeless vegetation in this location. It is the right place for flat earth surfaces and boulders, and the best colors are yellow, red, and earth colors. Complement with mosaics, Yin and Yang symbols, a square courtyard, and medicinal herbs.

 

By incorporating these tips, you can create a garden that promotes feelings of security, joy, peace, rest, meditation, balance, and well-being, attracting those who will truly enjoy it.

Creating a garden, even if it is just a few pots of plants and flowers, can bring auspicious Chi to you and anyone who spends time in the space. It doesn't matter if you have a large outdoor area or a small apartment; you can create an environment that invites and shelters Chi, which can help bring joy, prosperity, and good health to your home.

Please feel free to email me if you would like me to review your home, business, or landscaping plans. I will be happy to guide you on this beautiful journey called Feng Shui.