Gardens can relax or energize you, depending on their design. Balance the energy flow in your landscape to ensure it will be comfortable and harmonious. The Chinese have used this method of design for many thousands of years. It is called feng shui, pronounced 'fung shway.' Learning the terminology and concepts of feng shui can help in the understanding of this discipline (see glossary below). Qi (also called ch'i) describes the energy flow that moves over and around objects and people. Too much is not good; too little is bad. Energy can be blocked by walls or trapped in corners, becoming stagnant. The objective is for qi to flow gently through openings, not be too aggressive (positive) or too passive (negative). Strive for a perfect balance of the two in your design. Yin and yang describe the two opposing forces that act on qi. Yin is passive and yang aggressive. This is the goal of balance to achieve in your garden. Feng shui is the discipline of bringing balanced qi to your life, including home and garden. Translated, it means 'wind and water,' two forces that have a great impact on Earth. They are considered part of the cosmic energy that the Chinese believe is in everything. Wind and water carved canyons, eroded mountains, determined locations of cities and dictate whether soil will be rich enough to support life. Front yards represent active yang energy or public space. Yang energy colors are warm reds, yellows, oranges and bright whites. Ideally, front yards should face south because yang energy corresponds to sunlight, a positive force. Back yards represent passive yin energy, or privacy. Yin energy colors are cool blues, purples and greens. Yin also corresponds to darkness, or negativity _ the opposite of yang, which can be good or bad. Qi is most active from the west, so use a heavy metal object, such as a sculpture or urn, to calm energy flow from that direction, if possible. Metal is the element of choice because of its weight. The five elements of feng shui Wood is represented by furniture, structures, thick evergreens and perennials, and the colors blue and green. It is best used in an east-southeast location. Fire is symbolized by barbecues and other fire structures, red vegetables, strongly scented herbs, thorny plants and flowers in warm colors. Use these in moderation in southern locations. Earth is represented by rock gardens, clay pots, brick or stone walls, paving and sweet-smelling herbs. Earth tones are yellow, ochre and russet. Rock gardens are best located center-southwest-northeast. Metal is represented by sculptures, planters, furniture, structures, roofs and gray-green foliage. It's best used in west-northwest locations. Plants with white flowers symbolize metal. Water is represented by water features, winding paths, blue- or blackish-purple- leaved or flowered plants and is symbolized by black. Locate in the north. Ba-Gua (Pah Kwa) compasses are divided into eight pie-shaped sections and will illustrate types of qi you have in various parts of the yard. Make one, and label the compass aspects _ north, northwest, south, southwest, east, southeast, west and northeast. Each section represents one of the compass points. Label energy that flows from each section: nurturing or lethargic from the north; open or intense from the south; fruitful or over-fertile from the east; vigorous or hazardous from the west; calm or volatile from the northwest; comforting or unsettling from the southwest; inspired or provoking from the southeast; and prosperous or stagnating from the northeast. Gardens need not incorporate every feng shui guideline. Landscape design themes can be applied to formal, traditional, cottage, prairie, naturalized, woodland, rock or other types of gardens. Search for a couple of books, and decide which principles make sense for you. For more information, I recommend 'Feng Shui Garden Design: Creating Serenity'<I> </I> by Antonia Beattie (Periplus Editions, 2003). - - - Lerner is president of Environmental Design in Capitol View Park, Md., and author of 'Anyone Can Landscape'(Ball 2001). Contact him through his Web site, www.gardenlerner.com. 