Embracing different design concepts can help you formulate a plan of attack when it comes to landscaping and garden design – particularly if you’ve never embarked on such a project before. It can be very difficult to narrow down your ideas and make decisions, but you can keep everything on track by following certain established principles.
The ancient Chinese art of feng shui is one such concept that could really help you revolutionise your outdoor spaces, creating a sense of balance at home and bringing more positive energy into your life.
The practice itself has been used for more than 4,000 years to help create harmonious environments, making use of the five Taoist elements of wood, earth, fire, water and metal to draw different types of energy our way, depending on what it is we want to achieve for our own personal lives.
Because these five elements are all natural, it couldn’t be easier to feature them throughout the garden. Water, for example, can be brought in through the use of water fountains, pools, ponds and other such features, while fire could be introduced through lanterns, outdoor lighting, fire pits and so on, all of which will really help create a beautifully warm and positive space.
During the design and planning stage, also aim to prioritise the use of softer, rounder and more fluid shapes, with lots of curves and bends. Start to notice the world around you and you’ll see that there are hardly any straight lines to be seen and you’re more likely to see gentle curving shapes in feng shui design, as well.
Finally, don’t forget about use of colour. Different colours represent different energies and can have a huge impact on how you feel, so start paying attention to the various shades and how they affect your emotions so you can decide which ones you’d like to feature in your garden.