It's May! It's May! the lovely month of--achoo!

by Donna Andrews of the Femmes Fatales.

It's a good thing I love the damned flowers so much. I really need to get out with my camera this week, to take as many beautiful pictures as possible of the wretched things. That will help me forget what their pollen is doing to my system.

(Hang on a sec. I know I had a box of tissues somewhere.)

I read something once that suggested that if you have allergies, you could improve your life—or at least avoid making it worse—by planting insect-pollinated plants rather than wind-pollinated ones. The insect-pollinated plants want to hang onto their pollen until an insect happens along, so they produce a moderate amount of pollen that is stick or spiky, and stays on the plant, or more likely INSIDE the plant—insect-pollinated plants often have cup- or trumpet-shaped blooms. The wind-pollinated plants, on the other hand, produce a vast quantity of very light smooth pollen, which they lay out on a flattish surface so even the slightest breeze can blow it away. But most of it doesn't reach another flower . . . it just drifts through the air, provoking the immune systems of those of us who have allergies.

(A-choo!)

I got very excited when I read this, because it seemed to suggest that I could make a difference in the symptoms I experienced in allergy season! And it wouldn't really affect the beauty of my yard, because, according to this same source, flowers that are insect-pollinated tend to be large, brightly colored, and fragrant—to attract those all-important flying visitors!

(It is just allergies, right? It's not turning into a cold, is it?)

Then I started reading the list of wind-pollinated plants. Oaks. My neighborhood's full of them. I'm in Reston, but I'm near Oak Hill, Oakton, Fair Oaks—and my neck of the woods could just as easily have been named Yes, Even More Oaks. Fat chance eliminating them. Or any of the other trees. The other main wind-pollinated plants are grasses and weeds. Try avoiding grass in suburbia. Or weeds. So much for achieving allergy relief through intelligent gardening.

Sigh.

(And sniff.)

At least I know I haven't made my situation worse with my gardening efforts. My peonies, daffodils, alliums, crepe myrtles, daylilies, and herbs aren't contributing to my spring misery.

Although going outside to take their pictures might.

Still, I should brave the pollen-infested open air for long enough to get some good pictures. I will. Soon. Really! In the meantime, here are a few from past pollen seasons . . . er springs.

Comments

[Susan Neace]

I suspect I can add leaf mold and mold in damp soil to pollen. Also the noxious combination of gasoline fumes and cut grass. Anyway what fun would it be to plant without a runny nose. And itchy watery eyes. I need to get back to my garden fork - I have plants waiting to go in the ground

[Mark]

I'm on allergy shots, and they have made a huge difference for me. I'm so thankful for them. Now, the allergy medicine I take during allergy season actually helps me. Without them, taking anything is pretty much a joke.

Good luck surviving your own allergy season.

[Elaine Viets]

One of the not so lovely things about living in Fort Lauderdale is that allergy season is all year 'round. Date palm season is the worst.

[Deb Romano]

Thanks to today's blog post I remembered that I ran out of Claritin. No wonder my eyes are itching and burning. But I'll still take this over snow!

Beautiful photos, Donna!

DebRo