Grow Lucky Bamboo in a DIY Water Garden

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A bamboo water garden makes a lovely green gift during a dreary winter.
A bamboo water garden makes a lovely green gift during a dreary winter.
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"Lucky" bamboo is actually a member of the dracaena plant family.
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Red is a symbolically significant color in feng shui, however, you can choose to use any color of embroidery thread you prefer.
Red is a symbolically significant color in feng shui, however, you can choose to use any color of embroidery thread you prefer.
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Plain mason jars can be re-used in a variety of ways, including this low-maintenance water garden.
Plain mason jars can be re-used in a variety of ways, including this low-maintenance water garden.
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Fill the base of your water garden with small aquarium rocks.
Fill the base of your water garden with small aquarium rocks.
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Use a tiny drill bit to make holes in the rim of a mason jar lid.
Use a tiny drill bit to make holes in the rim of a mason jar lid.
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Use pearl or cotton embroidery thread to cross from hole to hole in the band of the jar.
Use pearl or cotton embroidery thread to cross from hole to hole in the band of the jar.
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The finished red starburst on the top of the mason jar rim symbolizes fire, one of the five natural elements included in this project.
The finished red starburst on the top of the mason jar rim symbolizes fire, one of the five natural elements included in this project.
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The number of bamboo stalks included in a feng shui bamboo garden have different meanings. Two stalks symbolize love and harmony.
The number of bamboo stalks included in a feng shui bamboo garden have different meanings. Two stalks symbolize love and harmony.

Feng shui is based on the idea that our homes are a mirror of our inner lives. According to the practice, by carefully considering what we bring into our homes, we can get in sync with our environment and enable our homes to reflect who we are. 

Consider making this simple, positivity-promoting DIY gift for the plant lover in your life — or anyone who needs a refreshing bit of life during the dark, dormant days of winter. “Lucky” bamboo is actually not a bamboo, but a dracaena, part of the family that includes spider plants and Easter lilies. Placed in a minimalist Mason jar with gravel, it makes a low-maintenance houseplant, which only requires indirect sunlight and weekly watering with fluoride-free water (to prevent the tips of the leaves yellowing).

This gift is easy and affordable to make, and you can personalize it using some of the symbolic feng shui tips that follow.

Making Your Water Garden

Before we jump into this project, let’s talk stalks. The number of stalks we add to our lucky bamboo water gardens is important according to feng shui. One symbolizes simplicity; two, love and harmony; three, happiness; five, achievement and creativity; seven, health; eight, wealth; nine, luck and good fortune in every aspect of life; and 10, fulfillment and excellence. Any more than that would most likely require a bigger vessel.

  • Published on Oct 7, 2016
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