Winter Thoughts on the Garden

I like this time of year. Winter is quiet--the perfect setting for contemplation, study and planning. The rush is largely over, it's cold outside, and its nice to sit on a comfy sofa with candles or a fireplace nearby and look at books and plan things. I especially like thinking about garden improvements for the coming spring. It's the perfect time of year for this activity, so why not get out your garden books or catalogs and plan for a feng shui spin on your garden for the coming year.

Here's a short list of things to think about:

1) Are there any areas of the yard that need a good clean (e.g., piled up leaves, yard junk, etc.). Don't do anything about them yet, just think about where those areas are and how you might clean them up when spring arrives. We do not want to stress ourselves out by actually doing anything about this right now.

2) If possible, take compass readings to see which areas of your garden are in which sectors. Identify the south sector (for fire elements), the north (for water elements), east and southeast (wood elements), etc. Again, just sketch out a basic drawing and note what things are in which directions. Simply sketch for now.

3) Make a list of what new plants you might like to add to your garden in the spring, or next fall based on the five elements (e.g., a Japanese maple for a fire element, a fountain for water, a tall green tree in the East, etc.). Note next to each plant how much sun it will require so that you don't end up having to move (or lose) them later.

4) Identify the dark (yin) parts of your garden. Could you plan for some lighting in those areas? Look for deals on garden lights--you don't have to buy them now, just identify which ones you like and where they might go.

5) Finally, enjoy a warming beverage while you think about these things. If a nap overcomes you, just go with the flow. We can begin to think about getting off the sofa in a couple of months.

You've got to love winter.

Until next time,
Tracy