Feng shui is the ancient Chinese art of harmonizing with the energy that exist in an environment and is often practiced on homes and offices.

The garden is part of a home that can reap great benefits of feng shui when designed with it in mind.

One of the things to consider is what type of plants and flowers to grow in the garden.

Here are 3 of the all time favorites that can invite positive energy into the house.

1) Magnolias

Magnolia flowers are one of the plants in which the Chinese don’t just consider beautiful, but also a symbol of feminine beauty.

Centuries ago, such is the treasure of a plant magnolias are considered as, only the imperial family and the emperor himself is allowed to cultivate it. And they only do so on their own premises.

Unlike peonies which can represent beauty of the lustful kind, the presence of magnolias are commonly used as an enhancer for romance luck and marital bliss.

This is one reason why they are often a flower of choice for wedding bouquets.

2) Narcissus

The narcissus plant is believed to help a person unlock hidden talents and aide in career advancement.

It is symbolic of recognition and rise in stature.

Grow it in your garden to boost the career luck of members in the household.

3) Orchids

It might surprise some people to learn that in China, the orchid in feng shui is considered a more masculine flower than a feminine one.

They represent perfection and is an enhancer of fertility luck.

In general, they are considered very auspicious plants and would be a great addition to any feng shui garden.

Bad feng shui plants

Healthy and flowering plants are always good in welcoming positive energy into the house.

It goes without saying that a garden in turmoil filled with dead or dying plants will be harvesting bad energy.

Whatever the case, be mindful of growing plants with thorns.

Such plants should be avoided as they emit bad energy.

Yes. This means that if you are growing roses in the front yard, only do so if you are willing to remove the thorns regularly if you have feng shui in mind.

One of the reasons we love Choisya is not just how sturdy and resilient it is. But also due to the heavenly aroma it sends into the surrounding air.

I guess we all know that Choisya is not the only aromatic plant that gardeners can nurture at home.

Here are some of the other top picks.

1) Lavender

The visual impact alone that lavender can create in the front yard can be reason enough for many homeowners plant some of them at home.

Violet petal ignite the feeling of passion in people.

Even better, it is also enhance by an enchanting scent so mesmerized by the masses that lavender is often the essential oil of choice of spas and health centers.

However, gardening enthusiasts should note that lavender is one big bee attractor.

2) Rose

Another flowering plant that triggers passion.

How can anybody not like the beauty of roses… unless they have bad memories of being given one from a lousy ex-boyfriend.

The scent of rose is so calming that I have it in body wash and hand soap.

Other than that, you save yourself from paying for overpriced roses on Valentines day.

3) German chamomile

There’s a reason why chamomile is one of the handful of all time tea flavors.

It simply is a delightfully scented plant.

If you love chamomile tea, why not make it’s charming aroma a permanent fixture in the back yard.

What many people don’t know is that it’s actually a flowering plant too. And the flowers look like cheerful miniature sunflowers when in bloom.

4) Jasmine

Jasmine is another widely appealing scent that is incorporated into all types of personal care products.

Some of which include:

• Body Lotions
• Skin moisturizers
• Toothpaste
• Shampoo
• etc

They are also commonly used by building for landscaping due to the beautiful white flowers they produce.

5) Lilacs

Another plant that looks as pleasantly sweet as it smells is lilacs.

They are available in the form of shrubs and trees.

Color-wise, they resemble a little like lavender… but more stunning.

However, when purchasing lilacs do ask the merchant whether it’s a variety with scent because most species of lilacs are odorless.

Finally, it is not recommended to have too many aromatic plants in the garden, especially if it not of a considerable size.

While a single type of scent can be wonderfully satisfying, a mixture of many strong scents can create an odd atmosphere.

So be mindful not to go overboard with scented plants.

Lately my used-to-be favorite pruning shears haven’t been seeing any sunshine as it hasn’t left the drawer for weeks.

It’s not that I have given up on it.

It still has the raw power and force that makes pruning so easy and satisfactory.

But I have switched to the lighter and slimmer garden snipper. And found that a lot of the things I used to do with bypass pruning shears, I can do just as well with pruning snips, if not better.

Being much less heavy, it’s easy to maneuver. And slimmer blades make delicate cutting that much more precise.

And if I come across a task too big for a snip to handle, I can just bring out the big guns in the form of anvil lopper and have it solve my problem.

No need for secateurs.

Here are some of the best snips to use for your garden.

1) Fiskars Softouch Micro-Tip Pruning Snip

Fiskars is one of the market leaders in the gardening tools industry. So it’s no surprise that they have the best overall pruning snips.

This product comes with stainless steel blades, very comfortable grip for handles, and an ergonomically engineered spring that reduces fatigue.

It easily enable the user to do the most meticulous of snipping tasks.

• 0.8 x 1.8 x 6 inches
• 2.56 ounces

It also comes with non-coated or non-stick blades.

I don’t know how high expectations people have on these things.

But at below $10, it’s a steal.

2) Hydrofarm HGPP400C Precision Curved Blade Pruner

While Hydrofarm brands this pair of scissors-like tool as a pruner, it is a pair of snips in my opinion.

It is extremely light.

• 9.8 x 4.3 x 1 inches
• 1.6 ounces

They come with 3 options for blades.

1. straight stainless steel
2. curved stainless steel
3. curved titanium

If you observe the design detailing on this gardening tool, you’d think doctors can use it for minor surgeries.

3) FLORA GUARD Micro-Tip Pruning Snip

While other snips on this list are available in only one color, essentially deciding the color for you, this item from Flora Guard come with a variety of 5 colors for the buyer to choose from.

The precision cut steel has a polished coating and user will have no problems using for trimming shrubs and hedges.

It’s handles are made of zinc alloy while the rest of the frame retains that steely strong look.

• 9 x 1 x 3 inches
• 5 ounces

Surprising that this is one of the lower priced pruning snips around.

4) Gardenite Ultra Snip

After the Fiskas model, this one from Gardenite has the shortest length at 6.7 inches.

So gardeners should take note of that if length is a concern, maybe due to storage issues.

What caught my attention about this item is that it has overwhelmingly positive reviews from hundreds of buyers.

• 6.7 x 2.3 x 0.5 inches
• 3.2 ounces

A chromed carbon steel spring makes the constant gripping and squeezing hand action a breeze.

5) TABOR TOOLS K7

The K-7 has a slender long reach specially designed as floral shears to pick flowers and deadheading.

The embedded spring also absorbs shocks very well. Tight spaces won’t be a problem for this tool.

• 7.9 x 2.8 x 0.6 inches
• 3.2 ounces

It also comes with 4 blade choices:

1. Carbon steel
2. Japanese style
3. Stainless steel
4. Stainless steel with metal clip

While carbon steel is probably not as rust resistant as stainless steel, it retains sharpness better.

Although available in only one color combination, the red and black is slick looking indeed.

Finally, I’m not advocating that you use snips for everything you do for grooming your plants in the front yard.

Every gardener should have a gardening tool set with essential tools like shears, loppers, cutters, etc.

It just that a lot of people don’t use snips. And I find it amusing as they are more comfortable than shears and scissors. While being just as effective in getting the job done.

Even though Choisya is a very distinctive evergreen plant with it’s appearance and aroma, it can sometimes be mistaken with another flowering shrub called Murraya Paniculata.

Choisya’a nick name mock orange has also been used for Murraya.

When you take a look at Murraya Paniculata, you will instantly realize why one has often been mistaken for the other. It’s not easy to tell the difference between the two.

They are both under the same umbrella from scientific classification down until the family of Rutaceae. After which, they split and differences start to appear as their own genus.

Unless you are familiar with both types of plants, it won’t be easy to tell them apart.

However, the easiest method to differentiate them is the geographic location of where you have encountered them.

As Choisya is known to grow in Parts of America and Europe, and Murraya in parts of Asia and Australia.