Garden Plants Information

What is Feng Shui? The principles of Feng Shui are based on philosophy, natural science, Chinese metaphysics and the art of encouraging positive and beneficial influences. It is the ancient Chinese practice of channeling these positive and invisible influences and energies by a variety of different avenues or means through mediums such as attraction, alignment, direction, association and location in order to promote and enhance the harmony and well-being of our surrounding environment.

By doing this we hope to make our surrounding environment so supportive of our attitudes, aspirations and opportunities as to make real changes for the better.Today in the modern West land is in short supply, it is expensive, it is in many cases tired or has been overworked or polluted in some way. Town and country planning, and building regulations, roads, utilities as well as the need for services, schools, education, medical care and employment opportunities all dictate where and how we should live.

All these factors and more are adding daily to the growing number of problems and restrictions that people in the modern West are faced with; impinging on any effort by an individual to apply the principles of Feng Shui and improve their surrounding environment and their lot in general.

However no matter how small an area we have to work with we can use grasses and bamboos to create a space for solitude a sacred space or just a space to sit and relax listening to the gentle movement and music of ten thousand leaves murmuring a lullaby in the gentlest of breezes

In China the common practice of Feng Shui corresponds to the Chinese cosmology of correlative thinking. The ancient Chinese believe that the good Qi. ‘The stuff of life’, ‘The Dragons Breath’ the Sheng comes from the South. China is situated mostly in the temperate zones and therefore when facing South at midday anywhere in China you are facing towards the sun and its benevolent warmth and light. At your back will be the cold mountains and winds of the Northern Steppes and the invading hoards. It is considered that a house that faces South is very auspicious and that is why on the Chinese geomantic compass the South is always at the top.

In Ancient China, heaven was divided into the four celestial quadrants of the Four Celestial Animals or Protectors. These quadrants protectively surround the central region of the heavenly palace. The Chinese consider that an ideal site for a house is in a location protected by all the Four Celestial animals. When considering a location there should be; most importantly, protection from cold wind at the back of the property provided by a crescent of hills.

These hills represent the Black Turtle Xuan-wu. In front of the property,the land should slope gently away, and if there is a meandering stream or river at the front then this would be considered most auspicious. The Red Phoenix represents this front area. This area in front of the facing direction is also known as the Ming Tang, The Bright Hallway. As you stand looking out from the properties facing direction, with the Black Turtle Xuan-wu behind you, and the Red Phoenix Zhu-que in front of you, there should be ideally to your right a low undulating hill which is referred to as the White Tiger Bai-hu.

On the opposite side to your left should be another low hill a little higher than the White Tiger but lower than the Black turtle, which is the Azure or Green Dragon Qin-long. The perfect orientation should of course be with the Red Phoenix to the South, the Turtle to the North, the White Tiger to the West and the Azure Dragon to the East of the property. However, in practice it is very rare that it is ever possible to achieve this configuration, unless you are fortunate enough to be designing your own home

When the form of the land or the arrangement of the building is such that we cannot face South, we should still try to maintain the configuration of the Four Celestial Animal based the properties facing direction. That means the Red Phoenix is to the front as you look out from your front door or facing direction. This configuration is very useful when planning landscape areas like the garden to create the right form, by symbolically adding a row of bamboo such Semiarundaria Fastuos to symbolize the Azure Dragon or placing a water feature or pond in the front of the property and a rockery or row of Fargesia nitida at the back to symbolize the protection of the Black Turtle

The Form represented by the Four Celestial Animals or Protectors is some times referred to as the Armchair Form, and you can imagine why and how conducive the concept of the armchair configuration is when we are considering the protective Form of the Celestial Animals in and around the exterior of the property.

To be simplistic and recap in layman’s terms. When you stand looking out of your facing direction, which is probably your main entrance. The tortoise is behind you the Red Phoenix straight in font of you, the White Tiger is on your right and the Green/Azure Dragon is on your left.

Of course it is not necessary to use plants and grass to symbolise the Celestial protectors and reproduce the form. A rockery or fence (preferably blue) will make an admirable black tortoise at the rear. Any hedge apart from Golden Privet or Purple Beach is perfect to symbolise the Green Dragon and a white picket fence or any silver leafed shrubs or plants can represent the White Tiger. The red phoenix could be represented by a statue of a red bird, a tub of bright red Pelagoniums, or even a red painted gate. The options are endless when you give it some thought. One of the most delightful thing about Feng Shui is that when it is right it looks rights and you know and feel it is right. In fact if you think about it we practice the principals of Feng Shui most days of our lives without even realising it. It comes naturally. Its known as good taste.

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The selection of roses you can grow in your home garden is enormous. With so many to choose from, finding just the right ones may seem more like work than play. To make this process easier, here are a few important factors to help you narrow down your field of choices.

Color

How will the color of your roses affect your garden? For color ideas, look at rose catalogs, at nurseries, and at your neighbors’ gardens.

You should consider the colors of nearby plants and flowers that will be sharing the garden. Will the assortment of colors look good together, or will they clash? For some gardeners, color is a priority; for others, it’s no big deal.

Climate

Choosing the right roses for your particular climate zone is essential. In order for roses to grow healthy and bloom generously, they must be able to adjust to your climate.

If your climate is too hot or too cold, or has the wrong amount of humidity, it could weaken your roses and make them vulnerable to pests and diseases.

Size

The size of the roses you choose is also very important. Consider the height of the rose at full growth. If the rose grows 15 feet tall, will it look unattractive in your garden? Remember, roses vary in size. While some roses may grow up to 8 feet, others can grow as high as 20 feet.

Measure the area of your garden prior to choosing your roses. Compare your width and height measurements with roses you’d like to purchase. Your roses will need plenty of space to grow as well as room for exposure to the air.

If you have only a small amount of space to dedicate to roses, you may want to grow miniature roses. These roses do not take up much space and they are easy to plant and care for.

Maintenance

How much time will you be able to spend maintaining your roses? Are you one of those people who lives to be in the garden, or are you more of a low-maintenance gardener?

There are several types of roses which are very high-maintenance. Although they’ll be dazzling in your garden, they’ll require a lot of your time. The classification known as “Modern Roses” are very stunning, long blooming, and highly fragrant; however, they are very high maintenance and are prone to disease.

The rose classification known as “Old Garden Roses”, on the other hand, have been bred to be very disease-resistant and require less maintenance. “Old Garden Roses” bloom for several months at a time, and have a strong and beautiful scent. The bad news is that people with strong allergies to fragrances will have a terrible time around them. If that could be a problem for you, then consider any of the variety known as “shrub roses”. They are also disease-resistant and long blooming, but produce a mild scent.

If you’re new to gardening and want to try your hand at growing roses, landscape roses may be your best option. These roses are easy to care for and disease-resistant. They’ll look gorgeous just about anywhere. If your garden has trellises, you can add several climbing roses as well. Although climbing roses look very similar to landscape roses, climbing roses have been trained to grow upward like vines. They add a beautiful touch to any home.

Whatever variety you choose, roses will be a wonderful addition to your home.

Visit Ron’s website Grow-Roses-Now to learn more about this popular gardening activity.

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted as long as the resource box is left intact and all links are hyperlinked.

Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer.

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Pruning your trees, shrubs and plants can be beneficial for almost all landscapes. Pruning is done primarily for the following reasons:

1. Promote flowering
2. Promote higher fruit yield
3. Improve the health of trees, shrubs and plants
4. Improve aesthetics / appearance
5. Control growth
6. Maintain a desired shape
7. Removal of dead, damaged, diseased, and infested limbs

The number one mistake most people make when pruning is pruning at the wrong time. Before you start pruning be sure it is the proper time of year for your area and the tree, shrub or plant you want to prune. If you are not sure what time of year is best contact your state Cooperative Extension Service (County Agent). Failure to prune at the right time of year can prevent flowering, weaken the plant and stunt growth and even cause death.

We offer the following information only as general guidelines.

Non-flowering evergreen trees should be pruned once a year in the early spring as undesired new growth appears.

Deciduous trees and shrubs (those that loose their leaves) should be pruned once a year. This should be done primarily in the winter when they are dormant and before spring buds appear.

For most spring-flowering trees and shrubs pruning should only be performed immediately after they have flowered. Next years flower buds will form on this years new growth, so pruning later will result in you pruning off the buds and they will not have time to reform before winter. Some example of this are: Azaleas, Rhododendrons, Indian Hawthorn, Redbud, Japanese Quince, Fringe Tree, Forsythia, Honeysuckle, Rambling Roses, most big-leaf Hydrangea, Bradford Pear, Clematis, Climbing Roses, Dogwood, Flowering Cherry, Lilac, Oak-leaf Hydrangea, Saucer & Star Magnolia, Weigelia and Wisteria.

Some trees and shrubs flower on the current (new) seasons wood and should be pruned in late winter while dormant. Pinch off spent blossoms as they die to keep the plants looking their best and to help promote more flowers. Examples of these are: Abelia, Butterfly Bush, Hills of Snow, St. Johnswort, Crape Myrtle, Bush Roses, Camellia, Cranberry Bush, Japanese Spirea, Rose of Sharon (Althea), and Chaste tree.

For hedges you will want to prune in the spring and summer as new undesirable growth appears. You will want to prune the top of the hedge narrower at the top allowing sunlight to reach the base of the hedge. This will prevent thinning in the lower sections of the hedge.

Before you head out on your pruning adventure make sure you have the proper tools. A good pair of sharp and clean pruning shears can cut branches up to

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