C

The plants we grow in our gardens are not always beautiful and harmless. The months from August until March can mean sneezing, itchy eyes, a runny nose and extreme fatigue in people who are sensitive to pollen. Others may suffer seasonal asthma, or find that their asthma becomes worse during these months.


The most significant step you can take in planning a low-allergen garden is to choose bird- or insect pollinated plants rather than wind-pollinated ones. Plants pollinated by birds and insects produce only small amounts of pollen. Many native trees and shrubs are pollinated by birds and insects.

 

What to avoid:

  • asteraceae family (daisies, chrysanthemums, calendulas, marigolds)
  • most introduced grasses
  • wattles
  • alder
  • ash
  • birch
  • plantains
  • coprosma
  • elm
  • liquidambar
  • maple
  • white cedar
  • oak
  • olive
  • pines
  • poplar
  • privet
  • walnut

Choosing suitable plants

Low-allergy plants include those that are pollinated by insects or birds only, or that are propagated by cuttings or grafting. Some plants you might like to try are:

Grasses and ground covers: 

  • buffalo
  • kidney weed (dichondra)
  • snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum)
  • low-growing cotoneaster
  • native violet

Climbers: 

  • clematis
  • Chilean jasmine
  • passionfruit
  • banksia rose
  • star jasmine

Shrubs: 

  • azalea
  • rhododendron
  • camellia
  • gardenia
  • rosemary
  • bottlebrush

Trees: 

  • magnolia
  • sweet bay
  • citrus
  • flowering almond, apricot and cherry
  • cabbage tree

Flowers: 

  • alyssum
  • aquilegia
  • foxglove
  • impatiens
  • lobelia
  • nasturtium
  • petunia
  • snapdragon

For a full list of suitable low-allergen plants, contact your local nursery or consult the Asthma + Respiratory Foundation NZ



More project guides & articles

Summer Vegie Care

Spring planted vegies & herbs are literally jumping out of the ground during summer’s warm weather! Here are some seasonal care hints for popular summer vegetables, to keep your plants in top gear.

Beginners Guide to Spring

After a long cold winter, gardens begin to wake up…before you know it, they become a riot of fresh new foliage and flowers. It’s the perfect time of year to start your garden. Read on for our tips on how to get into it, to get the most out of spring!

Top 5 Summer Annuals

Here are our top 5 summer flowering annuals. These reliable old favourites are popular for good reason! They're the best way we know to pack your summer garden with exuberant colour.

Flowers for Summer Colour

If you want to enjoy a vibrant flower show in summer, spring is the time to plant seedlings, or sow seeds. Here are some reliable choices to get you started.