In my travels I recently managed to put my hands on an ancient manuscript written by the infamous Chinese philosopher, “Funtzu.” Below are a few passages I have transcribed that incorporate his teachings about the fine art of gardening and landscaping.
The Tao: What do I seek to gain from my landscape? Will I try to shape it in a manner that reflects my lifestyle? Will it be busy or laid back? Do I want to compete against Nature’s constant campaign of growing or will I find a way to co exist in harmonious balance? Remember that time is the most valuable thing we have in this life. Even if you are paying others to help in your yard you have to make money and time so that they can help you. Staging a campaign against nature means you will constantly be throwing resources and more importantly, time at it.
The Heaven: Will my yard have sunny areas to possibly grow flowers and/or food? Will it have many trees and large shrubs to keep my yard shady, private and my home cool during the hot months? It’s best to work with what you have or make provisions and a strategy.
The Earth: What type of soil do I have? Does it drain well? Is there spots in my yard that hold water or are extremely dry? If someone puts plants or lawn in the ground will it take and be happy?
The Law of Nature: Will I be throwing time, money and resources constantly at it to maintain it? If you have to constantly introduce the artificial into your yard, aka supplemental irrigation, chemicals and labor, you will be always be in conflict with nature. The moment you stop maintaining the fight, Nature will encroach rapidly on all your hard effort.
When is the last time you’ve tallied up all the time and resources you spend on your landscape? Are you surging ahead, barely maintaining or falling behind? Chaos comes from doing the same old thing and expecting different results. Going through the motions will not put you ahead, not in landscaping or anything you do in life.
If only I had time to write down all the information that’s out there but like you, I am just a humble novice on the path to learning. Let’s make our time count!
Aloha and see you next month!
Charlie Stonecypher is the owner of Suncoast Irrigation and Landscaping. They specialize in products that work smart without wasting resources. Contact Charlie at 843-327-8642 or suncoastirrigation@gmail.com.
