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Valerie de Monceau, Feng Shui consultant and co-ordinator for the Feng Shui Society in Gloucestershire, says: "the garden is seen as an extension of the house - it's a part of the whole. You want to get the energy flowing in the most beneficial way to love you and nourish you and bring happiness".
The designer will define with clients what their garden means to them. Is it a place for parties, or do they want a secret garden or a space to meditate? Then, taking the five elements of water, wood, fire, earth and metal, and the opposing energies of yin and yang, together with the clients' setting and requirements, the designer will get to work. It's all a question of balance.
For example, water is crucial in the Feng Shui garden, whether a well-stocked fish pond, an upward bubbling fountain or gently trickling stream. The water must be clean and 'lively' to stimulate good fortune (does this explain the phenomenal success of Ms Dimmock and her obsession with water features?). And if you can't have real water it can be represented in curving pathways or border edges. Similarly, fire stimulates stagnant areas of the garden and brings good luck, and this is represented by lighting or bright planting in reds and yellows.
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