A Garden Gathering

My dear friend, Jane, and I set an intention several years ago to have a progressive garden tour of our two gardens. Our primary purpose was to have an occasion to gather old friends we don’t often get to see. You know them, the people you frequently think about and say to yourself, “I really must call so and so and get together” but, despite your best intentions, it doesn’t happen. The second purpose was to share our gardens with them. Jane and I have both enjoyed creating our gardens over the years and decided that it would be fun to share the results of our labors. We settled on a date and sent invitations in which we promised food, flowers and friends.

Today the practice of Feng Shui is more commonly associated with buildings and their interiors, but its original focus was the outside world, the land. Gardening and landscaping lend themselves naturally to Feng Shui. The Feng Shui of our home influences our personal life; our landscape and gardens, the outer aspects of our home, influence the more public aspects of our life. In order to attract positive chi into your home, the outside, regardless of whether you have a single pot of flowers or acres of gardens, must be attractive and well tended. In Feng Shui, the garden is a symbolic representation of what you want to accomplish in your life. Wow! Think about that! Someone once said, “A garden is a partnership with nature.” I love that, for that is indeed how I feel.

While I have studied Feng Shui, Jane has not. But like so many creative people who follow their passion, she has intuitively incorporated Feng Shui aspects to her garden. Thus, intentionally and intuitively we have enhanced the chi of our property, each in our own way.

Feng Shui considers water on your property auspicious. I have added fountains and a birdbath; Jane has a stunning waterfall in her front yard. Coming upon something unexpected and delightful definitely lifts your chi. I tucked a charming fairy statue in among the hosta; Jane added a freestanding blue door in one area of her property. In front of that door, she placed a blue bench and a glass coffee table, essentially creating an outdoor “room”. It is indeed unexpected and delightful. Sound is an important component to the chi of a garden. It is present in the gentle gurgle of our water features, the melodious sounds of our wind chimes and from the happy songbirds attracted to our birdfeeders. There are mobile sculptures and soft grasses that dance in the wind creating gentle movement in the garden. Our approach to adding light to our gardens differs because of the nature of our spaces. Jane cut back tree limbs to allow for more sunlight to dapple shady areas. I added miniature pink and white impatiens under larger plants to brighten the dark areas. To balance active energy with still energy, I used large rocks to anchor and define the garden beds. A statue of Buddha contributes to a sense of stillness on our patio. Jane’s placement of several beautiful large ceramic pots in her gardens provides that same feeling. And, of course, colors, textures and varying heights of plantings were an over all consideration.

After lots of work and planning, the day finally arrived. I was anxious about the weather, but after threatening us with rain, Mother Nature cooperated, providing a cloudy, humid-free day. It was a lovely time to be in the garden, and we were able to keep our promise. Of course, the best chi of all was the conviviality of good friends.