Chelsea Flower Show displays allergy-free garden
09:46 25th May 2010
Allergy sufferers wanting to spend some extra time in their gardens as the warmer weather continues may want to focus on ensuring they include insect pollinated flowers.
Olivia Kirk of KKE Architects has created a design for the University of Worcester that can first be viewed at the Chelsea Flower Show.
Among the key features of the design is the use of insect-pollinated flowers including peonies and irises, alongside an array of foliage plants.
She told the BBC: As a rule of thumb, if the flower is insect-pollinated, you are absolutely fine, apart from a few exceptions.
"If it's wind pollinated, the pollen is designed to be buoyant and it stays in the air a lot longer, but with insect-pollinated flowers, when the insect has done its job, the pollen is heavy and falls to the ground."
The garden was designed to provide students at the university with a place to sit and relax between lectures, particularly those prone to conditions, such as asthma and hay fever.
Ms Kirk added that allergy sufferers wanting to fill their gardens with trees have few choices as many are wind pollinated, although the best option could be amelanchier.
