Just as the growing season comes into full bloom – so do those pollen allergies. And the sneezing, congestion and watery eyes can make it hard to enjoy the outdoors, let alone work in the garden. But even if you suffer from the seasonal sniffles, you can still grow plenty of beautiful flowers. These spring and summer beauties have very little pollen, they’re easy to cultivate and, best of all, they won’t send you running for the Kleenex.
Dahlia
Dahlias are perennial flowers that grow well in all garden zones. Most nurseries will feature several bedding varieties and a wide range of color choices. Dahlias are, generally, started from tubers and should be planted once the ground warms up in early spring. They thrive in soil rich with organic matter, especially phosphorus and potassium. Their blooming time extends from mid-summer through fall. To protect plants from winter frost, dahlia tubers must be dug up and stored until the following spring.
Geranium
Geraniums are a wonderful choice for allergy sufferers. They require very little attention, thrive in light shade to full sun and grow well in moist, well-drained garden soil. Their popularity ensures a wide selection of upright and trailing varieties in shades of pink, red, salmon, orange and white. Depending on the species, most geraniums bloom from spring through late fall. To encourage continuous flower formation, spent blooms should be removed regularly. If planted in containers, geraniums do best with very little competition, since they will stop producing flowers if their space becomes too crowded.
Hibiscus
Hibiscus is actually a lovely, flowering shrub that can be cultivated as a container plant or maintained as a garden perennial. The plant has an excellent, long-lasting blooming period that extends from late June to frost. Hibiscus is tall and bushy, grows as high as 15 feet and produces very little allergy-inducing pollen. It thrives in full sun and prefers moist, well-drained soil, enhanced with plenty of organic matter. Colors include shades of purple, pink, lavender, blue, red and white. To control size and encourage flower production, prune hibiscus in winter or early spring, depending on the climate zone.
Iris
There are over 200 species of Iris plants, but the bearded varieties are the most common. They bloom in spring to early summer and require full sun to partial shade. The flowers consist of three ruffled petals standing upward and three that curve downward. Popular colors include blue, violet, purple, yellow and deep red. They prefer a rich, alkaline soil and can be planted from July through October. Rhizomes should be planted one foot apart and the tops should be visible just below the soil surface. Fertilize occasionally, but avoid large doses of nitrogen. Though the plants will not induce allergy symptoms, they do multiply over time and rhizome clumps must be divided to avoid over-crowding.
Snapdragon
This cool weather beauty is easy to grow and an excellent choice for spring allergy sufferers. The plants are considered a half-hardy annual in most climates and grow anywhere from 6 inches to 3 feet, depending on the variety. Colors include red, yellow, pink, purple, orange, white and bronze. Snapdragons flower from spring to early summer and, in warmer climates, they can be replanted in late August for a fall bloom. They prefer full sun and fertile, alkaline soil. Mature plants should be watered overhead to avoid rust and pinched, regularly, to encourage flowering.
In addition to choosing the right flower varieties, health experts advise that most plants release pollen between 5 and 10 am, so allergy sufferers should garden later in the day. They also note that pollen levels are highest on dry, windy days and remain lower when the weather is cloudy and cool.
With this information, any flower lover can go out and make the most of their garden, without a single sniffle!
