Allergy Free Gardening
Last Updated on August 2, 2017 by lydiaf1963
Today’s guest blogger is Joyce Wheeler, publisher of It’s Your Life Magazine a resource for people interested in natural living and for promoting small businesses which specialize in organic, non GMO products and/or teaching others about natural living. She’s reviewing The Allergy Fighting Garden by Thomas Ogren (affiliate link)
While we are still in the winter months it may be time to start thinking about what is in our yards in the way of bushes, shrubs, trees, and other plants. This is important especially for those who suffer from asthma and or allergies. It is a good time to educate ourselves on what is in our yards and how they affect our health.
About the Author
In the book The Allergy Fighting Garden author Thomas Leo Ogren teaches us about the various plant life and how it effects our health. Thomas has a degree in agricultural science, is a horticulturist, and former landscape gardener instructor, nursery owner, and gardening radio show host.
His Why
It was his wife who brought him on his journey of 30 years of research. She suffered from allergies and asthma and he witnessed the pain and misery it brought to her. Upon purchasing a new home he decided to do some research into which plants, trees, and shrubs were least likely to aggravate allergies. As Thomas searched for materials on the subject he realized none existed. That led him to do his own research one plant at a time where he learned more about botany, medicine, pollen, and the plant flowering system. This led him to create the Ogren’s allergy scale which rates plants, shrubs, and trees on a scale from 1 – 10.
This book is a wealth of information and everyone should have a copy in their collection of books.
The First 8 Chapters.
1. Botanical Sexism, and our current allergy crisis
2. How to Fight Allergies close to home
3. Understanding Plant Sex and its importance in allergies
4. Allergy – Blocking Hedges
5. Eliminating allergy-causing mold spores
6. Fighting Allergies in your neighborhood and city
7. Understanding OPALS (Ogren Plant Allergy Scale)
8. Using the A to Z Plant Listings
After Chapter 8
After chapter 8 there is an extensive list of shrubs, bushes, trees, and plants with a rating of how they rate for causing allergies. It is listed in alphabetical order according to the scientific name. There is also a glossary of horticultural terms, recommended reading, useful websites, pollen calendar, and a plant hardiness zone map.
Very interesting! I also suffer from asthma and severe allergies so this would be helpful for me and my husband!
I complain about a runny nose, I can’t imagine having to deal with asthma on top of it. Hope the information is useful for you, Becca.
I have suffered from terrible allergies my entire life. I need to check this out!
I hope the information is helpful for you, Deb 🙂
What a great giveaway! In spring hayfever allergies can really play up so this book might help people manage their allergies more efficiently.
At the very least you could manage your own yard.
This sounds so interesting. I know so many people who deal with bad allergies down here in the south. I bet a lot of people can relate to it.
There are plants I can’t handle without gloves and others that make me sneeze when they’re in flower. There are some molds in the fall that set me off, too. It can be miserable!
This is super interesting! I live with asthma and allergies (I’m literally allergic to anything that blooms in the spring and fall), so this is a great way for me to find some plants I might be able to handle!
I have trouble in the fall, too. I guess it’s molds.
I really want to read this book! It sounds fascinating! We are huge into gardening in this house and we have lots of people with asthma!
this is very interesting as a couple people in our home suffer from something, I think it’s allergies of some sort and this has me thinking. It may be worth looking into this more to see if it helps.
I love the give away! My son loves the outdoors and loves to help me with me garden and has such issues. He insists on mowing lawn, etc and sneezes throughout . This book can help us
I hope so, Eileen. Mr Ogren put a lot of work into it 🙂
This is awesome! What a wonderful resource for so many.
Love everything organic, my grandma used to have a farmer house and I grew up eating all organic, now it sometimes reminds me of a quest to find some natural food
What an interesting read. I love the Allergy fighting garden.
I never knew about this! I have asthma and it was better when I was in my teens but it seems like as I get into my late 20’s it’s getting bad again. This will be a great reference. Thank you for sharing.
I notice a difference when we visit our relatives in the South. Different varieties, I guess.
This is really interesting! I have allergies, and never have thought that we could control the plants around us! I do live in an apartment so there’s only so much I can do, but still! Very good info for when we get a house!
There’s not much you can do in an apartment, is there?
I don’t have allergies, but I never thought about this. Lovely giveaway, very helpful!
Yes, I think it will appeal to many people. Thanks for dropping by 🙂
How neat. I’d never have thought about allergy free gardening before. What a great topic to explore. Thanks for sharing!
You have a beautiful blog. This article makes me want to start gardening.
Oh, wow, this sounds like a really great resource! I have an absolute black thumb but I want to give gardening a try again now that we’ve got our own yard to work in. It’d be nice to have things growing that didn’t aggravate my sinuses so much!
I am definitely dreaming of my summer garden. I am horrible at flowers though, I prefer to plant things that I can consume. Last year we didn’t have a garden, and it was jarring to me! I can’t wait to start seeds next month with my kids!
I definitely miss my little vegetable and herb patch.
What a great resource! One of my sons has horrible spring allergies, and since he works in the press box of a baseball field – It can be really tough!
I used to spend take antihistamines and walk around with a horribly dry mouth and feel a little foggy. It’s not so bad as it used to be. Hope your son finds some relief!
This is very interesting. It’s a great resource for those who suffer from allergies. I will pass this on to my friend.
Thanks for sharing! I hope your friend finds it helpful 🙂
I seems like I’m allergic to everything! I’ll have to check out this book out, especially when I start gardening in the springtime.
I hope this helps you narrow down your choices 🙂
My boyfriend suffers from allergies so I think this book would be a great resource. Thanks for sharing.
I think it would be great for people who’ve more or less given up gardening because of their allergies. Hope you guys find it helpful 🙂
My husband has allergic esepcially in the spring and fall, he sneez almost all the time . He explained me why, I couldn’t really believe, but I think I do now as I read your post. This book I’m sure is a great resources for those who suffer from allergies.
Interesting i have really bad allergies. Thanks for sharing.
OMG I need to read this book, I know nothing about plants but that every spring I dye because of all the pollen. Thanks for sharing!!
My garden club does lots of community outreach work, and this is not really something that we’ve really investigated when we put in beds. I’d be fascinated as I’m sure our volunteer coordinator would be.
Oh WOW, what an interesting book. Like many of the other commenters, I have suffered with allergies my whole life. I also have a garden and though, I do have reactions from going outside, I never thought it could be any different. Thank you for sharing!
How interesting, and what a great giveaway!
Sorry you missed the giveaway, but the book is available thru Amazon. Thanks!