Using Flowers to Bring Calm and Prosperity into Your Life

by Carole Pagan

One of the nice things about summer is the richness of the colors of flowers that are abounding. Daisies, lilies, roses, petunias, and so much more. Even the most cynical among us is touched by the burst of colors.

Many people mistakenly think that plants and flowers are just something nice to look at. A female thing. If you're thinking that way, you're missing some of the most important benefits of plants and flowers.

Studies have shown that lots of green leafy plants help calm you and help relieve depression. This in turn helps you focus better and think more clearly. May be it has to do with the oxygen they give off?

Similar studies show that just looking at flowers reduces stress. The scent of flowers is also calming. Lavender is especially known for it's calming qualities.

In Feng Shui, flowers are said to strengthen family harmony and keep the flow of affection in all directions. When you get deeper into feng shui, there are different energies produced by placing certain colors in certain areas of your home. Green leafy plants in the entryway draw good energy into the house.

If you have a lot of arguments in your house, you may have too much chi energy in your home. Feng Shui suggests putting plants in rich black soil in the south portion of your home to calm things down.

Bathrooms in the south part of the house are believed to increase your chances of getting sued. Feng Shui prescription is to decorate with tall plants and wood.

Yellow flowers are said to have healing qualities in general. When you place them in the center of your home they keep you centered and balanced.

For financial harmony, surround yourself with red flowers. Fruit bearing branches represent abundance and good fortune. To keep the berries from falling off longer, scrape the bark off the bottom of the stems before putting them in water so that more water flows up to them. One of the hottest decorating trends this year is to put single

buds in small juice glasses. Place them across a mantle or shelf, or at everyone's place at the dinner table to keep things calm. Think that will look good in my Pokemon Welch's jelly glasses?

Or how about a prosperity centerpiece?

* Place a presoaked floral foam cylinder on a plate. For a small centerpiece, use a 4 inch cylinder.

* Spread a little of that moss stuff around the bottom edge, or cover the bottom edge with a piece of yellow or red ribbon.

* Cut your red or yellow (or combination of both) roses to 3 inches long. For the small arrangement, you will need 4 nice sized roses. Push them, evenly spaced, into the top floral cylinder.

* Now fill in with flowers, leaves, and berry branches.

* Stick a candle in the center.

For best energy results, use fresh flowers. (But Michaels has a 50% off sale on silk flowers pretty often too.)

If you're looking for some fresh ideas for your gardens outside- here are more feng shui tips-

* Purple flowers planted in the south part of your garden increase passion. Petunias are a good low maintenance choice.

* Deep red flowers planted in the west part of your Garden bring success in business. I have red lilies, of course.

* Creamy white flowers planted in the north part of your garden (not the north side of your house) quiet anxieties. I like either lilies or fragrant roses.

* Ferns and grasses planted in the east part of the garden keep you feeling fresh and vitalized. I have Yucca. Not exactly a fern, actually it's an evergreen, but I like it.

Next year I want a cutting garden so I can enjoy the benefits of flowers even more!

And for you men reading this thinking, I don't want to mess with flowers.... I've known many manly men who have put together great gardens. My grandfather and my next door neighbor are two of them. And what about that funny guy who does the gardening show on HGTV? I love that show!

Whether indoors or out, and whether you believe in such things as feng shui, working with plants and flowers really is therapeutic. It can be as expensive or as inexpensive as you want. It can be a large project, or a very small one. It can be in any colors. Get creative!

Gardening is not only a good mental exercise, it's great physical activity too.

And then kick back in your easy chair with the beverage of your choice and relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Carole can show you how to clean the inside of your home faster - and get it cleaner - so you have more time to do the things you really love. Get your copy of her secrets here - http://CleanFreak.CommonSenseLiving.com

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