Ebook Giveaway – Everyday Feng Shui: A Plant Lover’s Guide to Garden Design

What makes a California garden designer, whose education and experience is firmly rooted in Western design principles, think she can write a book about Feng Shui?

The short answer is, she can’t.

Like many of you, however, I consider myself a life-long learner. And when the subject at hand relates to garden design, so much the better. I’ve been dabbling in one specific aspect of Feng Shui for several years now, and recently published an eBook on the subject. What sets Everyday Feng Shui A Plant Lover's Guide to Garden Design (On Your Own Design) apart from other books on garden Feng Shui is that rather than a complex system of space planning, the focus is on the plants themselves.

The Creative Cycle

I’ve concentrated on one of the core tenents of Feng Shui—the Creative Cycle. At the heart of the Creative Cycle is the belief that all things have their origin in one of the five elemental groups: Fire, Earth, Metal, Water or Wood. Just as Western garden principles strive to create balance in the garden, Feng Shui similarly focuses on harmony, teaching that for a garden to be truly welcoming, all five elements should be present. Now here is the fun part: each of the elements can be represented by specific plant characteristics! A perfect design tool for gardeners, as we already see plants as the heart and soul of the garden.

Here is a brief description of each of the five elements:

Fire – Symbolic of energy and aggression. Represented by the color red and triangular or jagged, sharp shapes.

 

Earth – Symbolic of harmony and balance. Represented by the colors brown and yellow and square, flat-topped shapes.

Metal – Symbolic of creativity and collecting. Represented by the colors white, silver and gray and by circular or domed shapes.

 

Water – Symbolic of meditation and reflection. Represented by the colors blue and black and by wavy, meandering shapes.

 

Wood – Symbolic of growth and trust. Represented by the color green and by rectangular shapes.

What makes this approach to garden design so appealing, is that rather than replacing traditional Western design principles, it enhances them. As an example, take the following photo:

From a Feng Shui perspective, this front yard is suffering from an excess of Earth (represented by the square shapes of the lawn, driveway and severely-pruned bushes) and Wood (via the color green). Peaceful to the point of boring. Zzzzzz. The key to bringing it back into balance is through the introduction of the other elements on the Creative Cycle. If this were my client, I would begin by removing the unnaturally-shaped shrubs, downsizing the lawn and adding curved planting beds. Budget allowing, I might even add a curved path from the street to the front door. These changes would bring in Water’s meditative influence. Next comes filling the beds with plants in a mix of colors and textures, making sure to include plants with variegated foliage to bring in a touch of Metal’s elegance as well as some sharply-textured New Zealand flax or aloes to channel Fire’s bright energy.

While similar conclusions can be reached without recourse to the Creative Cycle, of course, determining what is wrong with an existing garden is often more challenging than creating a new one from scratch. Why not add another diagnostic tool to your gardening toolkit? Not to mention it’s just plain fun to rethink an outdoor space through the lens of the Creative Cycle.

If you are looking for easy-to-implement ways to make your garden a more enjoyable space that is alive with positive energy, then Everyday Feng Shui provides a roadmap to achieving a new level of harmony in your garden. No need to redesign the garden’s entire layout or rip out and replace planting beds wholesale (unless you enjoy that sort of thing, of course). With a few additions or subtractions, almost any garden space can become more balanced, welcoming and harmonious.

To learn more, go to Amazon and download a sample of the book. Or better yet, leave a comment here or on my Facebook page. I’ll be giving away 3 copies, winners to be announced next Thursday, December 13th. As an FYI for those of you with gardeners on your Christmas list, if you’ve never given a Kindle book as a gift before, it’s incredibly easy. All you have to do is enter the recipient’s email address and voila! It’s done. Should you prefer to bestow your gift in person, simply have the gift certificate emailed to yourself.

In the unlikely event that you're not interested in this giveaway, check back next week anyway. I'll be giving away a copy of the just released Why Grow That When You Can Grow This?: 255 Extraordinary Alternatives to Everyday Problem Plants.

Update 12-13-12: The winners are in!

Chosen by a random number generator, congrats to commenters  #8 Loree/Danger Garden, #13 Sheila Schultz and #15 Judy Tilson. Keep an eye on your email for a message from Amazon!

Comments

[Stephanie]

Bought it, love it, can't wait to use it. thank you!

[Saxon]

The Creative Cycle applied to gardening ?! Brilliant; may you have a best seller... Congrats

[Gail]

I will head over to Amazon to take a look, but I already love the concept.

[Jenny Nybro Peterson]

Susan, what an awesome idea! Leave it to you to do something this cool. Congratulations!

[Vivian]

Love the premise of this book. I am one of the few that has replaced my lawn in my city (Foster City, California) with some sort of vibrancy. However, I think adding feng shui principles would really help enhance it. I look forward to this book!:-)

[Laurianne Mathews]

I would so love to have this book. I will have a new home before the New Year and this would be a fabulous directive to enhance a new place and space for positive energy.
Congratulations,
Laurianne

[Mari]

What a fantastic sounding book! This would be the perfect Xmas present for my gardening buddy.

[Loree/danger garden]

Great concept for a book! I'm curious...and of course would love to win!

[Pam/Digging]

Congratulations on writing your new ebook, Susan, and what an interesting topic -- yes, very California! I don't have an e-reader though (we're techie dinosaurs sometimes), so if my name is drawn, please pass it along to someone else.

[Darla Miller]

Tried to comment on FB but can't find a place to do it! I loved the Garden Up book we bought from you and can't wait to see this one - GREAT tips on your 'boring yard'!!!! Wish you could come to my yard and give it some zing! :)
Darla Miller

[Laurin Lindsey]

Thank you for the great article. I love the way you use plants. I love the concepts behind Feng Shui and do consider it when designing. You have given me some great ideas to take it farther. Like life gardens should have harmony and balance!

[sensible gardening]

I've been interested in Feng Shui for quite awhile, you've inspired me to get active.

[Sheila Schultz]

Love the idea and such perfect timing! I'm sending an e-mail to Santa reminding him that it is the perfect stocking stuffer for gardeners around the world!

[Debra Lee Baldwin]

I used to think Feng Shui was a lot of woo-woo, but I now realize it encapsulates and clarifies a lot of fundamental design principles. I definitely want your book, Susan, whether I win it or not (but I hope I do)!

[Judy Tillson]

I would love a copy of this book, am in the process of planting my "new" backyard, succulents and water-wise plants. This would help with the designing.

[IndigoGardens]

I love everything about this book, Susan! Congratulations.

[Anne Larson]

A great concept and looks like a very interesting book--I'm going to have to check it out!

[petalpatch]

This really rang a bell with me… yay! Can't wait to put it to the test!

[gail]

This may be just the help I need in my garden~

[Jane Kelly]

Fantastic! I love that it's an ebook, even I, away over here in Aus. can get myself a copy in time to gift myself for Christmas:)

[Deborah Robertson]

I could sure use this book- I have 3 acres & a pond which I am landscaping as a natural Wildscape. Debbie Robertson

[Robin Horton]

Love it and love that you delved into this subject! Who doesn't need this? I certainly do!

[Iris]

looking forward to checking this out... thanks for the chance...

[Sheila Schultz]

Wow, this is certainly my lucky day... I should have bought a lottery ticket 12/7! Thanks Susan, enjoy your Holidays.

What? Are you saying that winning the lottery would be more exciting than winning an eBook? :-)