Tips to improve hay fever symptoms
Great advice if you are experiencing sneezing, sore eyes and sinus pain outdoors
Gardeners who suffer from hay fever are well aware of the sneezing, sore eyes and sinus pain which can strike in flower borders, under trees or just mowing the lawn when pollen levels are high. But there are measures they can take to at least alleviate the symptoms, says award-winning garden designer Jackie Herald, who creates outdoor spaces for people with allergies and other conditions and works with Allergy UK.
‘We shouldn’t just be designing gardens to look good,’ she says. ‘They have to work with the people who are going to enjoy them.’
She offers the following tips to help gardeners alleviate their hay fever symptoms.
UNDERSTAND YOUR TRIGGERS
‘It’s really important to understand what triggers your hay fever. As a broad generalisation, if you are suffering from hay fever, reacting to pollen in late winter and spring, that suggests you are allergic to tree pollen.
Come the summer, when the grasses come into flower, that suggests your hay fever is triggered by grass pollen.’
WEAR A HAT
‘Wear a hat with a brim, which can protect you from pollen falling around your nose.’
CHOOSE YOUR GARDENING TIME CAREFULLY
‘Avoid times of day when the pollen is likely to rise, such as the beginning of the day when the day is warming up, and again in the early evening.’
WATCH THE WEATHER
‘Keep an eye on the weather forecast because the pollen level is now regularly published with the forecast. It tends to be associated with warmth and sunny days.’
AVOID CERTAIN PLANTS
‘Avoid plants which have pollen on the surface. Conversely, go for plants with trumpet or bellshaped flowers that beneficial insects like bees actually have to find because the pollen tends to be tucked inside them, like foxgloves and campanula.
‘Generally speaking, for biodiversity and your own health, prioritise insect-pollinated plants rather than wind-pollinated ones. A typical windpollinated plant to avoid would be silver birch, with its catkins.’ Hay fever sufferers should avoid highly scented plants which can trigger symptoms, she adds.
Other plants to place away from the house include privet hedges, Wisteria floribunda, juniper and ox-eye daisy.
INSTEAD, GO FOR…
Plants such as Escallonia ‘Iveyi’, whitebeam, Clematis armandii, dianthus and rosemary are less likely to trouble allergy sufferers, she says.