Gardens can be self-contained spaces offering a plethora of organic pleasures, but they can also be home to small structures like greenhouses, sheds, or cottages.

Greenhouses come naturally equipped with their own light, so that's not an issue. But size and location are definitely important. A greenhouse should be in proportion to the landscape; it should never be so large asto overwhelm it, nor too small to perform its intended duty. Of course, a greenhouse should always be located near a water source.

Sheds are perfect places to store outdoor furniture in the wintertime, or lawn accessories and tools in the summer. Just keep your shed in a good location several feet from your house—if it's too close, you'll worry about the yard work you haven't gotten to yet, but if it's too far away, well … out of sight, out of mind.

A small cottage or studio in your yard can be a wonderful escape from the rest of the world: a place for reading, journaling, meditating, or just plain relaxing. As with the shed, find a good location that's not too close by (you'll feel guilty when you're not able to relax) or too far away (it will always seem like you are struggling to break free from your regular routine). I used a studio at my previous home as a home office, and it was the perfect way to keep work and home life separate.

The choice of which kind of structure to include in your backyard is entirely yours, just be sure to position any poison arrows (sharp edges of the structure) away from your house so that you don't send any negative chi back toward your home. That would defeat the purpose of a peacefully intended freestanding structure.