Posted: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:44 PM - 10,028 Readers

By: LakeAustin.com

From the White House to your neighbor's house, it seems everyone is catching the gardening bug. Not only can gardens provide food for low cost, they can also play an integral role in good health as demonstrated in Lake Austin Spa Resort's new Gardening for Life program. As part of the resort's acclaimed Culinary Experience ™ program and as a stand alone week-long program offered throughout the year, guests will learn tips from top experts for creating a garden that addresses numerous health aspects, from fatigue and aging to immune system and sleep boosters. The program also features classes such as Eating for the Season, Cooking from the Garden, Fresh Pestos and Salsas, Garden Tours, Organic Gardening, Composting 101, Healing Herbs, Why Buy Organic? and more.

The fall Gardening for Life week premieres September 28 - October 4, 2009, and Susie Coelho, style guru and former host of the hit series Surprise Gardener and Outer Spaces on HGTV will be a special guest. Gardening for Life dates for 2010 are April 19-25 and September 27-October 3.

Here are two examples of how gardens can be utilized for health:

Want to slow down the aging process? Create a tasty garden with oregano, sage, broccoli, thyme and toscano kale. Health benefit: Sage can be used in cooking has had a long history of use in slowing aging, restoring memory and calming nerves.

Concerned about catching a cold or the flu? Boost your immune system by filling a container pot with lemongrass, lemon verbena, Echinacea, lemon thyme and calendula. Health benefit: Thyme tea is soothing and antiseptic for sore throats and colds.

Lake Austin Spa Resort is known for its award-winning organic gardens, which produce hundreds of plants, herbs, fruits, vegetables, spices and wildflowers. The gardens are carefully tended to by Trisha Shirey, aptly named Director of Flora and Fauna, who has been gardening organically at the resort for more than 25 years, long before it became popular. The spa's gardens have been named one of the Top Ten in the World by Garden Design magazine, but they offer more than just their beauty. The gardens bring life and good health by providing nutritious meals to spa guests and allowing them to reconnect with nature and enjoy the simple pleasures of a lifestyle most of us remember from days long ago.

Spa treatments utilizing organic herbs are another way guests can connect with the earth. The LakeHouse Spa's menu boasts over 100 unique spa treatments, including several signature treatments that incorporate fresh ingredients from the spa's Healing Gardens, including Gifts of the Garden, LakeHouse Lavender and the Rosemary Sea Salt Scrub.

Whether the resort chefs are cultivating from the garden for meals, or guests are selecting herbs for a treatment, or simply strolling the resort's gardens for the sheer beauty of them, gardening remains an integral part of the journey to good health.

For information on special offers throughout the year, visit http://www.lakeaustin.com/texas-resort-specials.php.

ABOUT LAKE AUSTIN SPA RESORT
Nestled along the shores of scenic Lake Austin in the beautiful Texas Hill Country, Lake Austin Spa Resort offers guests the luxury of a world-class spa and the warmth of a best friend's lake house.

The resort has received numerous awards from prestigious national travel and spa magazines since its multi-million dollar renovation and expansion in 2004. Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Allure, InStyle, Luxury SpaFinder, Departures, Spa Magazine, The Zagat Survey and American Airlines' Celebrated Living magazine have recently honored Lake Austin Spa Resort as one of the best in the country and in the world.

Lake Austin Spa Resort offers all-inclusive vacation packages, which include accommodations in one of 40 charming lakeside guest rooms, three gourmet meals daily, indoor and outdoor fitness activities and classes, and a selection of luxurious spa and body treatments. For additional information and reservations, please call 800-847-5637, or visit www.lakeaustin.com.

*  Story Contributed by: LakeAustin.com