Last week, I was asked to do a home staging bid on a home in Arcadia, CA, that was located in an area of Arcadia known for its free roaming peacocks, near the LA County Arboretum. I stage many homes in Arcadia and am often asked about feng shui and peacocks.
The peacock is the official city bird of Arcadia and a picure of a peacock is displayed on street signs and the official city seal.
It's not unusual to see peacocks and peahens grazing in front yards and wandering the streets of Arcadia, particularly near the LA Arboretum.
Peacocks were first brought from India to Arcadia at the beginning of the 20th century by "Lucky" Baldwin, an early landholder in Arcadia, and founder of the Santa Anita Park Racetrack.
Peacocks & Feng Shui:
I think one of the many reasons (besides being lovely to look at) peacocks are allowed to roam freely in Arcadia is because of their high symbolic value in Feng Shui. Peacocks symbolize beauty, love and attraction, and their feathers are often used as a love "cure" to attract a partner. In addition the "1,000 eyes" of the male's tail feathers promote fame and luck and also awareness and protection. Its not a bad idea to have a statue of a peacock or a tail feather in your office or place of business if you want to have better luck and recognition for yourself or your business.
Peafowl Facts:
- Peafowl is the official name when you are not being gender specific
- Peacock is the male, peahen is the female, and peachick are the offspring under 1 yr. old
- Peafowl can fly, but not very far. They like to roost in trees.
- Peacocks molt their tail feathers naturally at the end of the breeding season each year
- Peacocks use their brilliantly colored tail feathers to attract mates (the more, the merrier)
- Peafowl can live up to 15 years in captivity
How to live in harmony with peafowl:
Besides being beautiful, peafowl can also be destructive to gardens, and can also be very loud and noisy. Here's some tips to deter peafowl from setting up residency in your yard.
- Choose garden plants that peafowl don't like to snack on. A few good choices are Azalea, Bird of Paradise, Bouganvillea, Cactus, Clivia, Gardenia, Lavender and Roses.
- Peafowl are omnivorous. They will eat dog & cat food, seeds, bugs, plants, you name it. Don't leave cat or dog food out and cover your compost heap if you have one.
- Peafowl don't like to be sprayed with water. Sprinklers & hose spray can act to deter them from your property.
- Don't feed peafowl. You may like them, but your neighbor may not. It is illegal to feed peafowl on public property.
Click here for more information about Peacocks in Arcadia provided by the city of Arcadia.
Click here for more information about using Feng Shui to help sell your home or home staging in Arcadia.
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2010 RESA Professional Stager of the Year
Michelle has staged hundreds of Los Angeles homes, many of which have sold with multiple offers, above listing price.
She works with home sellers, listing agents and asset managers to prepare homes for sale throughout Los Angeles.
Moving Mountains Design provides vacant home staging, occupied home staging, color consultations, corporate and executive relocations, move organization, redesign, and interior design. We also stage model homes, REOs,foreclosures and auction properties for real estate investors and asset managers.
For more information about our Los Angeles home staging services, contact Michelle at (626)385-8852 or by email.
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Thanks for the tips on peacocks. They tend to be a nuisance around here.
Peacocks are part of our logos on both our businesses - for all the reasons you outlined and so much more!
~Michelle
Wayne: I had no idea peafowl ranged so far north!
Michelle: Peacocks are beautiful. I can see why you would wnat them for your logos.
Who knew? We have turkeys - not as beautiful, but they seem to behave the same. Julie
Turkeys aren't as noisy, I don't think. Peafowl sound like they are yelling "fire!" when they start calling to each other.
Ok, you learn something new every day. Peacocks running loose in Arcadia - who knew... I find the feng shui side really fascinating. It would be fun to slip a peacock feather in a flower arrangement or something when staging. Thanks for the info.
Sally: I was actually shocked to hear that peafowl are a nuisance in Oregon (see comment #1). You could have knocked me over with a (peacock) feather. Sorry I couldn't resist.
We have turkeys and they are not nearly as pretty, but very messy! I love the street signs in Arcadia-great post Michelle.
Cathy Lee: Aren't the street signs pretty? Arcadia is working the Peacock angle.
We have one that lives in our neighborhood and it is lovely to see him walking the streets.
Growing up in Redding, CA we used to have several peacocks roam our local neighborhood that had escaped from a nearby farm. Funny thing: our sun room had reflective film on the windows and the male peacocks would always attack their own reflections thinking it was a rival male. Very beautiful (but can be very noisy) birds.
Mary Lou: I had no idea that peafowl were so widely distributed in the US. How interesting!
Connie: I can't imagine the sound they made when they were attacking their own reflection. They're noisy enough without crashing into things.
Hey Michelle, thanks for the great info on peacocks, I knew they were for protection but did not know until now about the ideas for business and love :) Have a great day!
Glad you liked the post, Laura!