Feng Shui In Garden Design

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

Which style to choose: Chinese feng shui or Russian birches?

Until now, scientists are faced with phenomena that cannot be explained from the point of view of modern science. In one of his treatises, the philosopher Kant wrote: "The finite mind cannot know the infinite."

The beauty of natural nature is an infinite category, and the closer we merge with it, the wider our consciousness becomes, the more we can understand the world around us.

For many centuries, the gardens of China remained full of secrets as shelters, "forbidden for barbarians and foreign wicked", so their descriptions are rare enough, scattered far in time.

What is a Chinese garden, what elements are included in it? In the modern opinion of our average summer resident, there is nothing special in this garden. Several different trees were planted, a pond, an alpine slide, flower beds, beds with medicinal and spicy herbs. If we consider any of the masterpieces of painting from the position of how many grams of paint are applied to the canvas, then hardly anything can be said about the content of the painting.

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Another thing is that if the artist in the right combination applies them to the canvas, then he will get a work of art in which he will express his feelings. The Chinese Emperor Qian Long said that trees and flowers in all their diversity not only reflect human feelings, but to some extent give rise to them.

The first complete description of the Chinese garden was given by the French priest Attiva in 1749: "The garden is filled with flowers in fancifully scattered flower beds with a winding outline, strangely shaped trees and stones of an amazing appearance and is surrounded by a high wall decorated with small pictures."

A detailed description of the principles of feng shui in horticulture was published in the June 1890 issue of Gardener's Magazine by Monsieur de Céret: “This garden, which gave an overview of the tasteful Chinese style of gardening, occupied only twenty acres of land. stood in front of all useful beauties.

Heading south, you would see tiny waterfalls and hedges of roses and pomegranates; to the west was a secluded gallery, evergreen trees, a meadow, watery surfaces of ponds framed by thick grass and labyrinths of stones; in the north, as if by accident, stood some structures and groves of bamboo on low hills, in which gravel paths wound; to the east was a small plain covered with fragrant plants, medicinal herbs, shrubs, clusters of lemon and orange trees, there was also a willow alley, bridges of wood and stone, a pond, several old fir trees, and on the horizon there was a wide view of the surrounding countryside.

The arrangement of this garden, as I was told, was strictly verified with the laws of feng shui, which the Chinese have followed since ancient times and in which they have a deep faith. It is easy to understand, although it is difficult to do without mysticism to understand Chinese wisdom.

Tells us a sage named Wu Xing, who is believed to have developed this aspect of feng shui philosophy in the third century BC. e., - the elements are characterized by five basic forms of movement: outward and inward, up and down, and also in a circle. Wu Xing and his followers linked this theory with the Elements, namely, with Wood, Fire, Metal, Water and Earth, which occupies a neutral position among them.

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Further, the doctrine of the movement of energy (elements) arose, and it has long played a very special role in feng shui, especially when it comes to gardening. This teaching reveals a lot in the mechanism of the vitality of our environment.

If we recall the modern theory of the structure of the atom, then the most characteristic feature of electrons is the duality of their behavior, which consists in the ability to manifest simultaneously both the properties of particles and the properties of waves. In the modern model of an atom, the state of an electron in it is determined by four parameters - quantum numbers.

The likelihood that Wu Xing was familiar with quantum theory in the third century BC e., is very small, so we will stick to it, Wu Xing, terminology and notation in relation to gardening.

Cycle of Creation

A TREE, which nourishes the creative FIRE, after which EARTH remains, from which METAL is compacted, flowing like WATER, which grows a TREE - and the cycle repeats.

Cycle of Destruction (Containment)

THE FIRE, which melts the METAL, which chops the WOOD, from which the EARTH is depleted, from which WATER is polluted, which extinguishes the FIRE - and the cycle repeats.

Let's try to translate this postulate into modern language. We know that any substance consists of atoms, atoms are built into molecules, that is, we have a kind of macrosystem in which certain changes constantly occur, in our case at the molecular level. If we are dealing with living matter, then there is also qi energy (since ancient times, the Chinese knew the natural energetic forces of the Earth, which much later were identified with the magnetic field of the planet. In these forces the Chinese saw the "breath of life" and called them qi).

Thus, there is a certain interaction within the system we have built. The doctrine of feng shui goes further, it considers the world not at the molecular level and not even at the atomic level, but at the level of interaction of elementary particles and wave quantum mechanics.

At the present stage of the development of science, it is not possible to build a mathematical model of such a system. At this stage, it is better to use the empirical knowledge of the sages from China, who offered a very original solution to this model.

With regard to gardening, feng shui defines that the Five Elements (energies) can be defined as follows: if various elements of the garden, for example, the shape and color of any structural unit of the site, harmonize with each other, then qi will flow unhindered, i.e. complex resonance system. When you build a garden in the feng shui style, you will surely have intuition, which is understandable from the point of view of wave genetics, allowing you to choose the right shape and color.

Forms, as you know, by themselves affect the current of energy passing through them and spreading around, modern location installations are built on this principle. In addition, you also need to have a little artistic taste that will tell you how best to use the conditions in the area.

I will try to outline the basic principles of feng shui in small blocks throughout the article with certain comments so that you develop your own attitude towards it. In our North-West zone, Chinese feng shui must pass a certain test and acclimatization, it has not yet been included in the State Register, this must also be borne in mind.

Unfortunately, our Northwest climatic zone is not the best place to grow bamboo, pomegranates, orchids. Petersburg dacha plots often solve the food problem; at best, we allow ourselves to make there a small lawn, an alpine slide, a tiny pond, and plant some flowers. The most interesting thing is that, in general, this is what allows us to give our site many elements of feng shui. Let's start with the tracks on the site.

Paths are an integral part of any garden, we are accustomed to a straight line and the shortest path from one place to another, feng shui sees danger here, they prefer a gently winding path that facilitates the flow of natural energy. When making sure the paths in your garden are winding, you must also consider their direction. Those coming from the west have a significant curvature, while those coming from the south wriggle more smoothly: the Chinese believe that the most life-giving qi comes from the south. According to feng shui, the ideal driveway looks almost like a horseshoe.

We will continue to adjust our site in the feng shui style, but for this we will have to again turn to feng shui symbolism.

Famous creatures of Chinese mythology play an important role in planning - as conductors of the beneficial power of the garden.

THE DRAGON. East (Wen.) Color: blue. Element: Wood.

PHOENIX. South (Feng Huang). Color: red. Element: Fire.

TIGER. West (U). White color. Element: Metal.

TURTLE. North (Yuan Wu). Black color. Element: Water.

SNAKE. Center (Yun). Brown color. Element: Earth.

The Chinese believed that buildings facing south are the best example of feng shui, since the south symbolizes warmth and good; the same is true of the garden facing south. Feng Shui teaches that there should not be a sharp drop in the soil from the south, otherwise it will be difficult for the Phoenix to maintain its position to create the feeling of an open area, the Phoenix side in the garden should not be densely planted with plants. It is best to plant a low shrub here and, if you wish, to break up beds with herbs.

Rules compatible with five animals:

PHOENIX - shrub, herb beds; DRAGON - trees, tall bush; TIGER - flowers, undersized shrub; TURTLE - small evergreens, border plants; SNAKE - lawn, small frost-resistant annual plants.

Finally, we decided on the nature of the plants on our site, let's hope that cosmic forces will flow to us. Do not forget about harmony when choosing the color of plants for the garden in front of the house: the colors of the plants should not contrast with the scale of the building, since a harmful sha is born from disharmony. In front of the house where the turtle is located, low evergreens and border plants are recommended.

Read the next part. Lily, rose and rhododendron in your garden →