One Spot In Your Garden That Should Remain Organized And Clutter-Free According To Feng Shui

Feng shui is the ancient Chinese practice of arranging things around your living space in such a way that the flow of positive life force (also known as "qi" or "chi") never gets obstructed. According to feng shui principles, when your surroundings stay in harmony and contain the right balance of elements, good luck, health, and happiness will flow into your life. Feng shui is primarily employed for interior design, but the principles can also be used if you're wondering how to feng shui outdoor spaces as well, including your garden. But if you want a perfect feng shui garden, there are some rules you should follow. For example, keeping the center of your garden free of clutter is absolutely critical. 

While decluttering in general is a practice you can't ignore in feng shui, you should ensure that the center of your yard is open and accessible. Chi, or the life force, is meant to flow freely, like wind or water. In fact, the literal meaning of feng is "wind" and shui is "water." This 3000-year-old Chinese philosophy is even more applicable in gardens because chi originally enters your home from the outside. But when your garden gets cluttered and messy, you can block chi from moving freely. In addition to keeping it clutter-free, it's also important to incorporate the right element into the center, which helps in grounding the entire garden's energy.

Since the center of any space is the zone of health on the Bagua map in feng shui, keeping the energy of your garden tidy, balanced, and organized is said to improve wellbeing in you and your family's life. Take a look out your window and notice where clutter, toys, or idle furniture may be collecting in the center of your garden. There could be several gardening items in the yard blocking the flow of energy as well –- whether they're bags of compost lying unattended, empty pots and gardening tools, or neglected plants. Collect and donate or dispose of all such extra items or find a separate place to store them. If you have any garbage cans or compost bins around the center of your garden, make sure they stay out of view as well. 

But you're not done just yet. The next thing you can do to remove any mess in the center is to get rid of all dead leaves, grass clippings, substrate piles, branches, weeds, or even stagnant water. Since these things are lifeless, they are essentially stagnating the flow of chi in your garden. You should also keep deadheading spent flowers and get rid of any broken fixtures from the region, such as damaged planters.

While the decluttering part of feng shui may seem quite easy and practical, there is more to the ancient practice than merely reorganizing your lawn. According to feng shui, there are five main elements that constitute any space: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Incorporating healthy feng shui in garden also involves balancing these elements. While each of the five elements has a specific effect, when it comes to the center of the garden, the element of earth is the most important. Earth has an influence on your stability, focus, and nourishment. Too much earth can usher in sluggishness whereas too little of it can lead to chaos and disorganization. 

Luckily, earth can be easy to incorporate in the center of your garden. Flat surfaces, straight lines, square shapes, and groups of five contribute the essence of earth. For any furniture, planters, or even flowers, use colors like yellow, brown, beige and sand at the center of your garden if you can. The center of your garden is a perfect place for square garden ideas where symmetry meets greenery, such as sculptures, square planters, a raised garden bed, terra cotta pots, brick paths, or a flagstone patio. Even checkerboard pavers can be used to add a modern earthy touch. You can also place rocks, boulders, or stone ornaments at the center to anchor the energy of the entire garden in that place. If you have a pond or water feature here, add a solar bubbler to make sure the water stays moving, and avoid adding too many features that could re-clutter the center of your yard and block chi.