The garden is no longer just some space in your home where you go to for fresh air or for having your fill of green. Now it is actually one of the main spots you have to look into when your life isn't going the way it should be. You see, in feng shui, garden landscape design and how it shows balance and harmony is said to greatly affect a person's life, since man and his environment are actually connected. And so, if you're thinking of giving your garden some feng shui boost, it is helpful to know first, the idea behind the ancient practice in order to achieve the right "life-altering" effect.

Feng shui, which means "wind" and "water" respectively, simply works on the principle that the positive energy called "Chi" must always be in jive with nature in order to maintain that sparkle in man's everyday life. This chi is found in the balance of the five elements in nature: the earth, fire, metal, wood and water, and which constitute either a Yin or Yang energy. When the natural flow of energy is disturbed, it can cause a glitch in a person's life. Thus, some aspect of a person's life can be affected, may it be in relationships, career, health and everything else in between.

The elements don't have to be literal. Rather, they work as representations - like landscape garden water fountains. These can provide the water element that is needed for a more positive flow or movement of chi around the garden, and into the house. While wind chimes and some tall trees strategically planted in one area of the garden can provide metal and earth elements respectively.

Traditionally, a feng shui garden landscape design is done in such a way that each spot in the landscape is likened to the characteristics of four animals: The Black Tortoise - if viewed from the front of the house - is located at the back, probably in the form of a slightly higher terrain or a slope. This can be stabilized by tall trees or buildings creating a symbolic wall of support. When you don't have a view of trees or building in this area, it can suggest a feeling of nonsupport.

On the right of the house, a landscape a bit smaller than the Black Tortoise is the Green Dragon. The dragon represents all the Yang or masculine properties: light, hard and active. It is the energy that pushes or motivates the occupants of the house to go out and do something for themselves. In the garden, this energy is enhanced by placing small bushes or a fence around the area, roughly the same size as that of the house or property.

The White Tiger serves as the Yin energy which is more feminine, being passive, soft and dark. It is located to the left of the house and is smaller than the Green Dragon and so, every object located in this area is a bit lower - being passive - than those of the dragon.

The front of the house is where the Red Bird or Phoenix should fly free and thus, is represented by an open space, signaling life's opportunities. That is why the landscaping should be uncluttered, with everything low and allowing everything to be within sight.

The balance of all the elements in a feng shui garden landscape design is the one that creates a "feel-good" garden, rather than just the sight and smell of the flowers, the cooling breeze from gentle flapping of the trees' leaves - all of which are just part of a grand design of order in nature.

The garden is probably the only spot in the house which is the closest we can get to nature. This is where all the green and color come together, making it a feast for the senses. However, the garden is more connected to us or nature than we think. According to feng shui, garden landscape design or simply the way our garden looks or is arranged affects a person's life in such a way that it radiates "chi" - an energy that is beneficial for harmony and balance.

What we have to remember here is that arranging or designing our garden doesn't only mean that we have to make it beautiful - or just plain presentable. It takes getting in touch with nature, because the best feng shui garden landscape design is one that is closely in tuned with the natural flow of the elements of nature as shown in it's top characteristics:

1 .A feng shui garden has order - everything has a place. Feng shui follows order in such a way that each spot in your garden, as well as every single thing you put or plant in it, is important because it has a role in feng shui. Each of them are said to correspond to the five elements: water, earth, wood, fire and metal.

Clutter is one of the main things that feng shui gardens must avoid since it only inhibits the flow of chi around the place. Nothing is placed in the garden without a purpose. Flowers, trees and other items made of wood are used to balanced out the earthiness of the place. Each of them also brings with them positive chi which can either help you in improving your relationships, career or bring you good fortune.Landscape garden water fountains and ponds are not just put there for design, but they provide a water element - which, because of its flowing characteristic, can symbolize abundance, wealth and most times good health as well.

2. A feng shui garden has a good play of colors. But this doesn't mean that we should just mix every color up in our garden since too much color can also be a bad thing. According to the ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, too much variety in color is actually blinding.

In feng shui, the five elements fall under different color spectrums. The wood element falls under hues of green or blue, while the fire element is obviously red in color. Yellow and orange bring about the earth element while shades of white and silver, blue and black corresponds to the metal and water elements respectively.

Warm colors like shades of red and yellows can provide a boost of energy while purples or whites induce a soothing feeling. Gold is another good color to add into your little garden. When planted in the center, north, northeast or southwest of your garden, it can bring you luck in your career and relationships.

3. Lively. Feng shui gardens need to exhibit life which signals a good flow of chi. Dead or decaying plants should be removed and no spot in the garden must be left dark. This disturbs the flow of chi which can be bad for you. Invest in a good landscape lighting layout and always keep everything in your garden alive.

These characteristics set the feng shui garden apart from other gardens. More than being a feast for the eyes, a feng shui garden landscape design appeals to all the senses, bringing a positive vibe that can improve a person's life.

Literally translating to "wind" (feng) and "water" (shui), a feng shui garden landscape design is clearly based on movement or on the constant flow of energy which we can familiarly call "chi". This energy must be encouraged and maintained in order to preserve the vitality of human life - if not, there will be an imbalance, one aspect of the energy will overpower the other and this will be evident in a person's current state.

That is why, aside from moving their furnitures and other fixtures around the house to adhere to the principles of feng shui, homeowners are carefully looking into the landscape of their gardens. This area of the house represents a person's public life and thus, needs to be arranged in such a way that it will bring nothing but positive chi into the house and in the life of the people who dwell in there. Here are some practical ways to pimp your garden feng shui style:

1. A good feng shui garden landscape design is said to be the one that appeals to all the senses. More than the beauty that fills our eyes - the colorful flowers, the thick, green grass and the sun light that touches the leaves - it should also have a soulful melody, like perhaps the flow of water in a metal fountain, the chirping of the birds or the cracking of the leaves under the weight of our feet. Not to forget the gush of the gentle breeze, the hot sun as well as the taste of the rain drops or the sweetness of ripe fruit.

2. Rocks can be great garden ornaments, especially in flat gardens where the energy flows faster than what is recommended. This can give the flatness a meandering effect for a better flow of chi. Not only that, when placed at the back of a house, this earth element acts as a symbolic wall of protection and support.

3. Running water is a good symbol for regeneration and can really do a lot for attracting prosperity and in raking in luck within a household. Landscape garden water fountains made of metal or a pond can enhance the water element needed for positive chi. Earthenware fountains are not a good idea since earth blocks water and thus, the positive benefits of the water is canceled out.

4. Your choice of plants can also play a big part in feng shui, as each plant signifies different human needs. If you want to attract wealth, orange plants are a usual choice along with flowers. Those who wish for long life usually plant a good bunch of Chrysanthemums, pears or pine trees in specific parts of their gardens. Add more beautyl by having Plum, Rose and Wisteria flowers around in your garden.

5. Your feng shui garden landscape design doesn't have to be perfect - with all the plants perfectly shaped or clipped in the right angle or design. Variety is actually a good thing as long as you can create balance between each thing in your garden.

6. Bamboo can be a perfect ornament to put in a garden either as a plant, a fountain, bench or any other furniture. Aside from bringing in longevity and good health, it can also enhance wealth, and provide universal blessing.

Making a feng shui garden landscape design doesn't take much work. And with these helpful tidbits, attracting good fortune is easier than you thought possible.

A feng shui garden landscape design is becoming one of the staples of design, mainly because it adds a certain spirituality to the usual beautiful gardens that we came to be familiar with. A feng shui garden, with its different zones or baguas, can greatly help improve one's life if done properly.

And if there's one thing feng shui hates, it's clutter. When nature's looking like a dump, so will your life be, since in feng shui, it is believed that nature and man have a direct connection. To avoid clutter, always make sure that you have all the elements in their proper zones. You see, the elements work in a continuous cycle of complimenting and overcoming each other. Water and earth makes it possible for the development of wood which turn into ash or earth when burned with fire, and metal which melts into water. Although water and earth gives life, water also douses fire, and metal can be used to chop wood.

This is an important point to remember in fixing your feng shui garden landscape design since this prevents the elements from balancing each other out which creates a bit of a glitch in the natural flow of chi - the cosmic breath that gives life to all. Thus, placing earth elements like perhaps landscape garden water fountains made of earthen materials, in the water zone neutralizes the positive effects of the water element, since earth blocks water.

Aside from this important fact, you must also remember that in feng shui, less is more. Too much color, furniture or fixtures in your garden can be a source of clutter. Stick to colors that represent the five elements well: red for fire, blue and black for water, yellow for earth, white and gold for metal and green for wood, and combine them to create the desired effect.

Also, don't think that every space in your garden must be filled up with something. A space - preferably the center - will be a good spot where all the energies can come together, creating a better energy flow.

Clutter likewise comes in the form of of weeds, debris like fallen branches and leaves, as well as dead and decaying plants. These disrupt the natural flow of chi, since they suck all the life out of your garden. Remove weeds so that nutrients will go to the plants. Clearing the garden of fallen branches and leaves keeps the pests out, while dead and decaying plants are just not a good sight to see. Once you clean up, you will be happy with how your garden looks lively and relaxing - mainly because of the constant flow of chi around it.

A well-designed landscape lighting layout is also a good way to keep clutter, in the form of shadows or dark spots, out. Put some Yang energy into your garden by keeping it well illuminated. Trim your bushes and clear out blockages to let natural or lamp light in. This will also create a very welcoming feel into your home.

Regardless of the principles of feng shui, garden landscape design should really be free of clutter. It is, after all, a bad sight to see dark, overly crowded gardens with a lot of debris and rot. The garden should be one of the places where you can sit back, relax and admire the beauty of nature and when you're surrounded by ugliness and chaos, your mind and body can't help but absorb them.