Feng Shui Garden Tips and Tricks by Jakob Jelling

In this article, we will list a number of feng shui garden tips that can help you turn your garden into a powerful generator of positive Chi energy.

We hope that you find our advice useful; however, the most important tip is to listen to your intuition.

A special feature of a classical feng shui garden is having a pond, pool, or fountain in the center of it. Any body of water (natural or artificial) will increase the good Chi energy in the garden. The most crucial point is to keep the water clean, clear, and fresh. Stagnant water attracts the destructive Sha instead of the positive Chi energy. The traditional feng shui says that the optimum home location is on a small hill next to a splashing brook or small river, which brings Chi into the house.

Try to ensure that the garden’s view from the windows is attractive in every season. The garden should be set up to be welcoming for you and your guests. Try to avoid having tools, bikes, or garbage containers in your garden, as they disrupt the harmony. It is advisable to have a bench next to your entrance door – it’s practical and attractive. A harmonious space in front of your house will promote the Chi, and help it flow from your garden into your home.

A feng shui gardens can have beds with herbs and shrubs with berries. Try to give time and thought to the choice of trees. Everyone can feel affection to a particular tree, which will make you feel happy. Sitting on a bench under your favorite tree will recharge you.

A garden should be surrounded by a protective (limiting) area. Its functions are to create a beautiful landscape scene, mark the garden’s boundaries, and hide it from prying eyes. It can be a high wall or a small hedge - the choice is yours.

We perceive the nature in a garden with every sense: the color of flowers, the aromas of herbs, and the rustle of leaves. Each of these can bring joy. Let your garden be dominated by flowers, trees, herbs, and plants that you personally like and enjoy.

The garden’s light is also very important – any type of light enhances the Chi energy flow. Consider using artificial lighting, especially for the pathways, in the dark. The light should not be too weak, but it probably should not turn night into day either. You can use practical lighting, as well as decorative lights to underline the magical beauty of your pond or plants.

Handmade works of art can boost the appeal of a garden and emphasize its individuality.

Listen to your intuition and you will find the best solution for your garden. The boosted Chi energy will boost the sense of harmony and wellbeing in your feng shui garden.

Feng-shui is a traditional Chinese teaching with a millennial history. This teaching explains how to live in harmony with nature. The roots of this doctrine go deep into Chinese culture and Taoism. The art of feng shui is to help people manage the flow of chi energy with maximum benefit.

Growing Your Own Herbs for Tea - ArticleCity.com - Free Articles ...

If you love herbal teas, as I do, you know they are just a little bit pricey. However, growing your own herbs is easy and so much fun!


Here are just a few of the herbs you might want to consider for a tea garden:

Chamomile: Remember the favorite tea of Peter Rabbit? Only the flowers of this fragrant herb are used when making tea. Chamomile tea can be enjoyed by itself or you might enjoy adding mint or lemon verbena.

Lemon Balm: This herb is lemony with a touch of mint and makes a soothing cup of tea. It's easy to grow (almost too easy) so remember to keep it clipped back.

Lemon Verbena: An excellent herb to grow in a sunny spot, it makes a delicious tea. You might try combining it with orange mint or spearmint.

Mints: There are many mints available. Generally, they are aromatic plants and they are aggressive. It may be a good idea to plant mint in a pot and then put the pot in the ground so it doesn't take over your herb garden. Spearmint, peppermint, orange mint all make wonderful teas, alone or along with chamomile or any of the lemon herbs




.

Herb teas can be made with fresh or dried herbs and can be enjoyed either hot or cold.


For one cup of hot tea, use one teaspoon of dry herbs or up to 3 teaspoons of fresh herbs. Bruising the leaves of fresh herbs will help release the flavor. Pour boiling water over the herbs in a glass or china pot. Metal pots can sometimes leave a metallic taste. Let steep for 5 or so minutes. Strain and enjoy with a little honey to sweeten.

Sun tea can be made simply by filling a jar with water, throw in a handful of crushed fresh herbs, and set in the sun for 3 or 4 hours. Stir in a little honey to sweeten, pour over ice and enjoy.

Trying different combinations of herbs is fun. Remember you can also add spices you have on hand, such as cinnamon, cloves, etc.

There are many benefits to growing and making your own herbal teas. gardening itself is very relaxing and rewarding. With herbs from your garden you can soothe away your troubles with a cup of chamomile tea or make yourself a refreshing cup of peppermint tea after a hard day at work.

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Look in the perfumes of flowers and nature for peace of mind and joy of life. --Wang Wei

10 Free Gardening Products - free article courtesy of ArticleCity.com

One of the pleasurable spin-offs in organic gardening is finding alternative ways of coming up with the same, if not better, end result.....

Household throwaways can be valuable to the alternate enthusiast. Here are ten recyclable ideas to make gardening a little less hard on the pocket!

1. Hedge clippings: Instead of burning or direct composting, beg, borrow or even buy, if the quantity justifies the price, an electric garden muncher.

Branches up to an inch in diameter are posted into a slot and the machine munches them up into small chips. Spread these chips thickly around shrubs orgarden-grows"> fruit trees to help keep moisture in, and control the temperature of the soil.

2. Food Waste: All food waste must be composted. Composting is becoming quite an art form, and special composting bins can be bought, or very simply made.

There are many different theories and each gardener will find his or her preferred way. Keeping the compost fairly warm is the overall key to a good result. Or, if you're in no hurry, simply keep adding to a heap, and dig out the bottom when required. Sieve before using and the compost will be ready for planting small plants and evengarden-grows"> seeds.

3. Old carpets, large damaged cardboard boxes; and similar materials can be laid over the vegetable plot in autumn to help prevent those early spring weeds appearing. Spread over a whole patch and weigh down with stones or logs. Lift off on a sunny day in early spring a few days before digging.

4. Paint trays: Keep old roller painting trays and similar containers for seed trays. Punch a few holes in the bottom for drainage. Add a little fine gravel before filling with seed compost. Seed trays shouldn't be deeper than 15cm.

5. Yoghurt pots: All plastic yoghurt or dessert pots can be washed and saved for re-potting seedlings. Make a hole in the bottom of each and add a little fine gravel before filling with compost or soil..

6. Glass jars: Glass jars with sealable lids are excellent for storinggarden-grows"> seeds, beans and peas for planting next year. (Safe from mice as well) After washing the jars, dry in the oven to remove all traces of moisture before storing yourgarden-grows"> seeds. Collect dark glass jars, or wrap paper round clear jars to preventgarden-grows"> seeds being damaged by light.

7. Ice Lolly sticks: Make perfect row markers in your seed trays or greenhouse beds. The wooden ones won't last for ever but you can at least write on them with pen, pencil or crayons!

8. Wire coat hangers: Make mini-cloches with discarded or broken wire coat hangers. Pull into a square shape. Place the hook in the soil and push down gently until the natural bend in the wire rests on top of the soil. Place another a short distance away in your seed bed to create two ends of a cloche. Now throw over a sheet of plastic and hold down with logs or stones.

Note: this will work only when creating very small cloches.

9. Clear plastic: Keep any clear plastic containers that could be placed upside down over a plant. Cut a mineral water bottle in half to make two handy individual cloches. Large sheets of clear plastic from packaged household items are fine for throwing over mini coat hanger cloches.

10. Aluminium bottle tops: Keep aluminium tops from milk or juice bottles, and also coloured foil around beer or wine bottles. Thread together to maka bird scarer. Simply thread with thick cotton and hang on yourgarden-grows"> fruit bushes before the birds find the newgarden-grows"> fruits.

Look out for other tools for the garden from kitchen throwaways such as: old kitchen spoons and forks for transplanting tiny plants in the greenhouse. Leaky buckets for harvesting small quantities of potatoes, carrots etc; light wooden boxes for harvesting salads through the summer, and transporting pots etc;

Keep an eye on that rubbish bag and turn today's throwaways into tomorrow's tools!