GARDENFIT

Visual artist Paula Hayes is known for her sculptures, installation art and landscape design, but she is perhaps best known for her living terrariums of organically shaped, handblown glass. These large and small-scale ecosystems explore relationships between plants and people’s connection to nature. Paula learns self-massage to loosen hand muscles and build forearm strength to protect her wrists.

Jenny Elliott and her husband Luke Franco transitioned from trained musicians into flower farmers and designers, growing their farm from 6 to 40 acres, and planting more than 300,000 annuals each year by hand! These organic flowers are used in stunning wedding arrangements. Planting and harvesting by hand take a toll on Jenny’s back; relief from repetitive bending comes from spinal stretches.

Environmental artist Patrick Dougherty is known for his life-sized sculptures built using only sticks and saplings and exhibited around the world. We visit one of these, along with his home, surrounded by stick fences, stone archways, paths and walls--all of which he built himself. Patrick is given a series of movements to increase flexibility in the ankle and restore function to the lower legs.

Alice Waters created the farm-to-table movement and pioneered California cuisine. Her restaurant, Chez Panisse, is famous for changing how food is sourced, prepared and presented. She also founded the Edible Schoolyard Project, bringing education to kids through school gardens and kitchens. Alice learns a simple routine to restore shoulder movement and reduce stress while harvesting fruit trees.

Frances Palmer, renowned ceramicist, avid gardener and photographer, selects flowers from her extensive cutting gardens to pair with her creations of functional vessels made of white porcelain, terracotta, stoneware and earthenware. She captures these stunning compositions with photography for her socials. Long hours in the garden and studio create posture issues, which she learns how to correct.

Jewelry designer Nicholas Varney’s gardens, apple orchards and ponds provide inspiration for his unique creations. He reconstructs colors found in nature, employing gemstones, exotic woods, pearls and other natural materials with precious stones to create an organic aesthetic rarely seen in fine jewelry. His back pain when weeding is addressed with body positioning and stretches.