Irises and peonies could be beneficial garden flowers for allergy victims

Insect-pollinated plants could allow hay fever sufferers to be able to spend more time in their gardens.

A design by Olivia Kirk of KKE Architects has focused on the use of foliage plants and flowers, including irises and peonies, to ensure that a garden can be enjoyed by allergy victims.

Her garden design is to be shown at the Chelsea Flower Show before being relocated to the University of Worcester.

Ms Kirk 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 design was initially made for the university as a means of allowing all students to be able to have somewhere to sit and relax outside of lectures.

Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph reports that she is to work alongside the university‘s National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit, which looks into conditions including hay fever and asthma.