Creating a Low-Allergen Landscape: Maintenance Tips for Allergy-Prone Families in Northern VA

More than 100 million Americans live with allergies, and many of them are seasonal. For people with pollen-related allergies, the springtime can be brutal.

Unfortunately, reports indicate that allergy season in Northern Virginia is almost always considered “intense” by government sources. That’s because the pollen count is typically high in our region due to the many native plants that grow here.

But what does that mean for your personal property? Are there ways that you can have a low-allergen landscape and escape some of the seasonal suffering?

Jump to Section

• How Do I Create a Low-Allergen Landscape for My Home?
• What Plants Are Best for Allergy Sufferers in Northern Virginia?
• Which Landscape Maintenance Practices Help Reduce Pollen and Mold?
• Can Mowing, Pruning & Leaf Removal Affect Outdoor Allergies?
• How Often Should a Yard Be Maintained to Help Limit Allergy Triggers?
• Are There Landscaping Choices That Make Seasonal Allergies Worse?
• Realistic Expectations for an Allergy-Friendly Landscape
• Choosing Landscape Planting, Landscape Design in Northern VA

While you can’t control what might end up in the air due to plants near your home (or where you work or spend time), you can at least control what’s planted on your property.

In this article, we’ll talk about how to create a low-allergen landscape to reduce seasonal discomfort. While landscaping for allergy sufferers is not a perfect science, there are steps you can take.

Hopefully, these landscaping tips for families with allergies can help set you up for success.

How Do I Create a Low-Allergen Landscape for My Home?

If your goal is to create a low-allergen landscape, one of your primary focuses should be to use low-pollen plants.

These are plants that produce heavy, sticky pollen spread by insects (or birds) rather than the wind, or that produce very little pollen at all. Some examples include Boxwood, Rhododendrons, Roses, and Dogwood trees.

For a low-allergen landscape, you could also plant female trees instead of male trees. While male trees produce pollen, female trees produce fruit and seeds.

Of course, these can create droppings that do tend to be messier. You want to avoid these selections over hardscaping like patios or walkways.

What Plants Are Best for Allergy Sufferers in Northern Virginia?

As we mentioned above, the best plant choices for seasonal allergy sufferers are insect-pollinated plants (which produce low amounts of airborne pollen) or female cultivars.

Low-Allergy Plants in Virginia

• Hostas
• Daylilies
• Tulips
• Roses
• Begonias
• Petunias
• Snapdragons

Low-Allergy Trees and Shrubs in Virginia

• Female Holly
• Female Red Maple
• Dogwood
• Viburnum
• Boxwood

While there’s really no way to make a yard 100-percent allergy proof, these plants can play a role in pollen reduction in the yard.

Unfortunately, you’re never going to be able to control what comes into your yard from other sources. Pollen can actually travel hundreds of thousands of miles in the air!

But it can still make a difference to have low-pollen plants in your own yard.

Which Landscape Maintenance Practices Help Reduce Pollen and Mold?

Residential landscape maintenance practices can also contribute to a more allergy-friendly yard.

Regular mowing, pruning, leaf removal, edging, and cleanup can help reduce the buildup of allergen-producing debris.

Besides pollen, many people have mold allergies. Regular maintenance helps minimize moisture buildup and, therefore, reduces the development of mold and fungus. Clearing leaves and other yard debris is especially important.

Can Mowing, Pruning & Leaf Removal Affect Outdoor Allergies?

Yes, mowing, pruning, and leaf removal can affect outdoor allergies as these practices tend to stir up grass pollen, tree pollen, and mold spores. While keeping up with residential landscape maintenance is ultimately beneficial, it can be challenging for allergy sufferers.

This is a good reason to hire a professional landscaper to handle these tasks for you and to stay indoors while they are being done.

If you do perform your own landscape maintenance, here are some tips for practicing more allergy-safe yard maintenance.

• Mow in the late afternoon or evening when pollen counts are lower.
• While pruning trees and shrubs reduces pollen production, it can release allergens during the process, so you may want to wear an N95 mask if pollen is a big trigger for you.
• Avoid doing yard work on windy days.
• Remove and wash clothing and take a shower immediately after performing yard work.

How Often Should a Yard Be Maintained to Help Limit Allergy Triggers?

Weekly landscape maintenance is best if you’re trying to create an allergy-friendly landscape. In general, we already recommend keeping up with weekly mowing, as that’s best for your lawn.

Weekly mowing is a best practice because it doesn’t put as much stress on the lawn’s health. After all, you have to remember that your lawn is made up of many different grass plants, and, as with any plant, cutting it can cause stress.

However, cutting more frequently is much less stressful on the grass than waiting more than a week between mows and making a drastic cut. That’s because you’re cutting a smaller amount of the grass height at a time.

Allergies aside, keeping up with ongoing landscape maintenance will also help boost your property value and keep your home looking its best.

Are There Landscaping Choices That Make Seasonal Allergies Worse?

Yes, just as you can make good choices for an allergy-friendly landscape, there are also plants that might make your allergies worse.

Choosing plants that create airborne pollen might make allergies worse, particularly if you are the one maintaining your landscape (and potentially stirring up pollen in the process).

Major high-pollen trees in Northern Virginia include Oak, Birch, Maple, Cedar/Juniper, and Mulberry.

Realistic Expectations for an Allergy-Friendly Landscape

A completely allergy-proof yard is simply not possible. While we want to help people create allergy-friendly landscapes, we also do not want to promote unrealistic expectations.

As we’ve said, no matter what steps you take for your own property, you can’t avoid what other people have in their yards. Even what’s planted miles away can impact what blows into your yard.

If you’re an allergy sufferer in Northern Virginia, it’s always important to follow your doctor’s recommendations and take any precautions that need to be taken when spending time outside. We know that seasonal allergies can be a huge frustration.

Hiring a landscaper to handle outdoor tasks might make a positive impact.

Choosing Landscape Planting, Landscape Design in Northern VA

No matter what your goals are, you want to make sure you’re partnering with a landscape professional who will listen to you closely and take your wants and needs to heart.

Even though there is no surefire way to eliminate outdoor allergen triggers, you can work with a landscaper to choose low-pollen plants and create more allergy-friendly landscaping.

At Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape, we want you to be happy with your landscaping. That’s why we can offer our horticultural expertise to ensure you make the best plant choices for your property. We can also help you care for your plants properly so you can enjoy them for many years to come.

By choosing a landscape professional near Alexandria, Arlington, or Springfield, VA who can help you with everything from plant selection to installation to care, you are investing in your landscape's success.

If you’re looking for some guidance on adding plants to your landscape near Alexandria, Arlington, or Springfield, VA, request a consultation, get your customized plan, and relax as we give you the royal treatment.