By Kathryn Weber
Trees are an important life source and vital members of our outdoor community. Often called “the lungs of the Earth,” trees take the carbon dioxide that we breathe out and return it to us as oxygen. They also prevent groundwater run-off and soil erosion. It is obvious that trees are a crucial part of our living Earth and treasured members of our landscape family.
Besides being beautiful, they provide us with shade, beauty, and a wonderful place to climb or swing from. Fruit and nut trees give us good things to eat. On a less tangible level, trees also exert a powerful influence on the feng shui of our homes. For this reason, it is important to look at the trees surrounding your home. What else do trees have to offer us? Let’s take a look at the feng shui of trees.
1. Trees give excellent support.
Planted at the rear of a house, trees provide important “Mountain support” at the rear of a property. Ideally, all homes and businesses are situated on a lot with a rise at the rear of the property. If this rise is missing, or if the landscape is flat, or if there is nothing taller or larger than your house or building, vital support can be missing, making you have to struggle in key areas of your life. This rear support is a critical element in feng shui. Planting a row of 5 trees across the back of the property can simulate the missing support.
2. Plant bamboo for the best luck of all.
Bamboo is considered a tree although its habit is more like that of a hedge. At the back of a property, bamboo gives solid support. At the left or east side of the property, it gives excellent dragon energy – considered the best energy of all. At the front of the property, bamboo gives very auspicious energy for wealth and opportunity. The front is considered its most auspicious planting location. So, consider potting bamboo to put in the front of your home!
3. Flowering trees bring reward.
Orange trees are believed to bring wealth and are especially beneficial when planted in the SE corner of the garden. Lime trees are also helpful and bring wealth, particularly to SE facing homes. Lime and oranges planted at the front of the house bring great opportunities in the form of wealth and advancement.
Apple trees are believed to promote good relationships in the home. Plant pomegranates to stimulate love – even pregnancy. Planted in the south, pomegranates and apples can also bring recognition luck. Plant peaches in the west for excellent and lasting children’s luck and family happiness.
4. Balance trees on both sides of the house.
If your home or business slopes down on the left side (as you look out of the house) or is low here, trees can be planted to raise the chi. This puts the auspicious “dragon” more in control, rather than the tiger (or right) side of the house. Be sure to have trees planted on both sides of the house to keep the household harmonious. Trees on the left control the husband’s anger and trees on the right control the wife’s anger. Trees should be a bit taller on the left side of the house than the right (as you look out toward the street).
5. Trees promote growth and good health.
Planted on the east side of the house, trees can stimulate personal growth and good health. Select large hardwood varieties for this side of the house.
6. Plant pines for longevity.
Want to grow to be a ripe old age? Plant pine trees. These are considered to be especially auspicious when planted in the east corner of the yard.
7. Remove dead trees.
Dead or decaying trees can draw a tremendous amount of energy from a home. Be sure to remove any dead or dying trees, especially if someone in the home is ill or elderly. They affect the luck of the person in the corner associated with them. So, if you have a dying or dead tree in the northwest, you have harm to the breadwinner, in the east, the oldest son and in the southeast it would harm the oldest daughter. In the southwest, the woman of the house would be most affected.
8. Trees must not touch the house.
Any tree touching a house will give the house “yin” energy – which is negative energy. Make sure there are no limbs touching the house and that there is plenty of room between the house and your trees.
9. Keep trees away from the center sector.
Strenuously avoid having trees at the center of your lot or home (either in a container or in an inner courtyard) as this causes severe financial difficulties.
10. Use trees to block negative energy.
If there is a view of something that is unappealing, or a church, hospital, or cemetery directly across from your house, plant a row of trees to block the energy. They can also be planted to block poison arrows created by roads.
11. Trees must not be planted in front of the door.
Trees that block a door, block opportunities and promote personal struggles with finances, career and growth. Either remove the tree or if you can’t cut the tree down, then place a gazing ball or mirror that pushes the tree energy back.
12. Plant weeping willows in the water sectors.
Weeping willows and other weeping plants are generally not considered to be good feng shui. However, I believe they can be planted as long as attention is paid to where they are planted. Try to plant them where their “fountain” effect is utilized, such as the SE, N, or E sectors of the garden.
