Xeriscape(TM) and Feng Shui
I've mentioned I'll be planting pecans to the north for shade. This may seem strange to those who are unused to this area. In the hot summer months the sunshine appears through northern windows, not those on the south. The pecans are planned for the place where they will provide the greatest summer shade without blocking very much of our winter sun.
Because they are mostly high water use plants, feng shui, not Xeriscape, may be a better guide for the location of my fruit trees. I'll be putting my green garden and blueberries, if I plant them, to the east. This is also the area in which I will try to attract lizards and maybe an iguana, in an effort to "activate" these "miniature dragons". "Activating the Dragon" is a propitious thing to do according to the following Web site, http://www.worldoffengshui.com/fsmagarti... . It encourages power and success. It's also nice to support animals native to the area.
According to the principles of feng shui, the east is the place to plant green things. I'll put a green grape in this area, when I find one which does well in my area. The southeast is the direction in which the color purple is most appropriate. I, therefore, plan on using the southeast to plant my plums. Red works well in areas to the south, so I'll be putting my tomatoes close to the house on the south side. Further south, I'll plant my apple trees and Flame, a red grape I've heard does well in the area. The pinks and white predominate to the southwest in traditional feng shui design, and this is where I'll plant my apricots and peach trees.
I'll also use the feng shui designs colors in placing my smaller plants. My pumpkins, onions, and garlic will grow to the southwest, for example, and probably my potatoes. Red onions will be planted more south than west; white onions will be planted to the north. Radishes will grow near the tomatoes on the south, and egg plant will grow closer to the plums on the southeast corner of the house. On the east I'll grow my spinach and lettuce. One of the American Indian dry landscaping techniques used in this area is to put individual plants fairly far apart and to slope the landscape around them so that natural rain water drains toward the plants. Planting in this way gives the plants' roots
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