A beautiful summer means ugly sniffles

While it's about time we had decent weather, one in four of us dreads the hay fever it brings. But won't the late spring lower pollen, asks David McCann

A GARDEN in bloom is a most welcome sight after one of the worst winters on record. It's great to find flourishing flower beds, green shoots in the earth and the faint waft of blossom on the breeze.

But the legacy of a weird winter is a scientific prediction of a summertime spike in the country's pollen count.

Although this could be good news for the beleaguered British bee, it will bring misery for the one in four of us who suffer the frustration of hay fever.

At the root of the allergy is pollen. Its symptoms include itchy or red eyes, sneezing, runny or blocked nose and an itchy throat, mouth and ears.

Pollen is an essential building block in floral reproduction but the tiny grain is an irritant for more and more people.

With 15 million British sufferers we already have one of the highest rates of hay fever in the world. Worse is to come, however –

a study last year by Lloyds Pharmacy found that by 2040 about 40 per cent of the population of the Lothians will have the condition.

Now for the layman, it seems logical that a harsh winter + late spring > less pollen and a welcome respite for the millions of British summertime snifflers. But experts say the opposite result is far more likely.

Dr Eric Caulton, co-founder and director of the Scottish Centre for Pollen Studies in association with Napier University, says the severe winter weather could give an advantage to pollinating plants.

"When you have had a hard winter, by spring the flowering is usually very good," he says. "If we have prolonged sunny weather we should have a very high count of pollen this year – particularly at the height of the summer."

And it seems the onset of bleary eyes and runny noses is only weeks away, as Professor Jean Emberlin of Pollen UK stressed in a recent study.

"The cold winter and continuing cool weather in early May means it has taken a long time for the soil temperatures to rise sufficiently to allow good early growth of grasses in many places," she said. "This means that when the grass pollen season starts, it will be sudden, with high pollen counts."

Much of the advice surrounding hay fever claims big city pollution and smog can exacerbate the flu-like symptoms. But botanist Peter Brownless, nursery supervisor of the Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh, suggests smog-free environments are more hazardous.

"I think people are much more susceptible because the air is cleaner than it used to be," he says. "Dirty air clumps pollen together and helps it to drop out, so cleaner air equals more pollen."

Although grass is a major contributor to airborne pollen, anything that flowers en masse will boost the pollen count. Mr Brownless, himself a hay fever sufferer, calls the Central Belt "the land of perpetual spring".

So which plants and shrubs are faring best in gardens across Lothian? "People might be a bit despondent that they have a lot of gaps in their garden at the minute because things are emerging very late this year," says Mr Brownless. "But we are incredibly lucky in this part of Scotland because winter is not particularly cold and summer not so hot."

"It means we can grow a huge range of plants from around the world.

"Cherries are flowering as well this year as I have seen in 20 years in Scotland, while pine trees are showing signs of flowering quite highly. In early June conifer pollen sets people off with hay fever, something I can vouch for."

Mr Brownless warns that when sprouting, iris and delphinium plants could be yellow as a result of a prolonged winter but they should regain their green complexion after a few days in the sun. And privets, which can blacken and defoliate in harsh winter conditions, should be revitalised in the sunshine.

The by-product of a delayed spring, says Mr Brownless, is a "concentration effect" on flowering – where the blooming process is condensed into just one month or two, rather than three or four as in a typical season. A lot of native plants are doing remarkably well.

"Recently I have seen dandelions the size of cabbages in my driveway which appear to have sprouted overnight. British native plants are good at making the best of the weather we have and having seen this 15 years ago, it's remarkable how these things bounce back provided we get some good weather in late spring, early summer."

With peak-time pollination expected in June or July, hay fever sufferers will be banking on a typically rainy British summer to dilute the glut of pollen. But if the sun shines as predicted, a quarter of us could be reaching for the eye-drops and nasal spray more so than ever before.

Anyone seeking more information about pollen or if you would like a pollen calender contact Dr Eric Caulton on 01875 320444

BASKING IN SUNSHINE OR UNDER A CLOUD?

WINNERS

Herbaceous plants: Experts agree that the hardy herbaceous plants – carrots, parsnip, mint and grasses – have made the most of the late spring, growing strong roots that could help spur growth in the summer months.

Native plants: Daisies and dandelions will be abundant given the right conditions.

Roses: The plant of romance is already showing signs of sprouting vigorously. With hours of sunshine expected, these resilient shrubs should exhibit eye-catching blooms.

Fruit crops: Redcurrants, blackcurrants and apple trees are expected to do well if they avoid a late frost.

LOSERS

Exotic: Anything the amateur botanist has been growing as a challenge could well suffer as a result of spring's tardiness.

Hebes: Native of New Zealand, these plants have suffered badly through the winter.

Acacia: Tend to be thorny and pod-bearing, and are expected to have fallen victim to the cold.

Hay fever sufferers: Sniffly noses and itchy eyes are set to afflict the one in four UK residents with hay fever. The conditions are ripe for a miserable few months.