Hay Fever season is upon us.

Some of my friends in Robertson are suffering really bad "Hay Fever" at present.

As I understand this issue, it might be more of a reaction to an irritant perfume, than an actual (medical) allergic reaction which is an immune system reaction, or the milder inflammation of the eyes and nose, which is the true Hay Fever. It is nearly always an allergy to wind-borne pollens, which mostly come from grasses and some wind-pollinated plants (such as Pines and Willows). But Wikipedia states that: "An estimated 90% of hay fever sufferers are allergic to grass pollen."

 This is a common irritating grass.

Yorkshire Fog

The reason that insect pollinated plants are largely discounted as allergy-causative, is that the pollen grains of insect pollinated plants are relatively large and heavy, and so do not travel far. By contrast, the ultra-fine pollens of grass and Pines can travel around the world, on the wind.

Assorted weedy grasses beside the Railway Line in Robertson

I recommend that individuals try to work out if their "Hay Fever" is caused by true allergies to grass pollens and other wind-blown pollens which might possibly require medically supervised intervention. (Doctor's treatment).  If you feel you do need medical assistance, start by talking to your local chemist or if you feel it is more severe than I am describing, see your friendly local GP. 

On the other hand, if you are suffering an adverse reaction to a strong and moderately irritating plant perfume,  your problem is most likely to be caused by Privets and less likely, Honeysuckle. In that case, it probably does not require medically-supervised intervention. Your symptoms might respond to commercially available medications.

For irritations, rather than true allergic reactions, 

the prime suspect is the "Small-leaved Privet" (Ligustrum sinense). 

Small-leaved Privet beside Railway line

• "Some people have allergic reactions to Privet causing asthma or related breathing problems so be careful, you might make your neighbors, spouse or children sick. Also, many people consider Privet to be invasive because it produces a ton of little berries which carry seeds and will propagate very easy so don’t plant it too close to the neighbors yard or garden bed or it might take over."

• Source: Garden of Tomorrow: Ligustrum, Privet.

Leaves of Small-leaved Privet have undulating margins.

 The scent of Privet is very prominent at present, 

and may carry hundreds of metres.

The scent is very "cloying"  

tending to cause disgust or aversion through excess

"a perfume of cloying sweetness"

I cannot move around Robertson at present 

without being aware of the sickly sweet perfume of Privet.

The flowers of the Small-leaved Privet are pure white when fresh.

And then there is Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) 

which is a genuinely sweet perfume,

but very intense and potentially irritating. 

It also grows wild in Robertson along roadside verges, 

and notably along the Railway line 

which threads its way thought the middle of the Village.

The Japanese Honeysuckle is a large-growing climber

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Crisp mornings bring perfumed air.

It has been a week of contrasting weather patterns (rain; cold, strong winds; warm balmy weather; more rain; more winds; and this morning crystal clear skies with no breeze at all). So, I was pleasantly surprised when, this morning, I woke to a crystal clear sky, a light frost, and a sweet perfume hanging in the air.

I am talking about natural aromas, here, not Chanel No 5!

The local Sassafras trees are in full flower (as you have seen recently). They have a sweet, light perfume. Not particularly distinctively scented - unlike their leaves, which remind me of Mandarin rind when peeled. But that scent is only noticeable when the leaves are crushed - it does not travel - unlike the trees' sweet floral perfume.

Some of my Wattles are starting to bloom, as well. These are not endemic species, but garden plants, such as Acacia decurrens, which is the earlier flowerer of my two species of ferny leafed, tall wattles.

Acacia decurrens flowers are sweetly scented.

The other similar tall ferny-leafed Wattle which I grow, A. mearnsii flowers in late October, in Robertson.

Close-up of Acacia decurrens flowers.

When I came in for my regular shift at the local Community Technology Centre (where I just answer the phone and help people get onto the Net - nothing too technical, I can assure you) I was greeted with the sweet scent of the creamy Jonquils known (for some reason) as "Straws".
Their official name is Narcissus tazetta var italicus - so "Straws" is easier. These have a sweet perfume which can be a bit over-powering inside a house. But when outside, with the perfume wafting around on the fresh air, the scent is truly delicious - to my nose. This is all the more satisfying, as I planted these flowers, several years ago, when the CTC was newly built.

The "cup" of the Jonquil is how it earns its Latin name "tazetta",
meaning "Little Cup".

Another CTC volunteer at the time, "Boney" helped me rescue these plants, and many others from an old garden in Robertson where the house was due to be demolished. If his partner BJ is reading this in Western Australia, Hi from Robbo! You're in that linked picture too.

Although the Jonquils were really obvious, I realised while photographing them that there was another, even sweeter perfume on the air. It comes from the beautifully named Lonicera fragrantissima. I am sure all my readers can work out what that means. The first name means it is a Honeysuckle. But if you need a clue the "issima" ending on a plant name acts as a superlative - so it means "most" or "very". So, "fragrantissima" - its not hard is it? So, if you are familiar with the sweet smell of a honeysuckle vine scrambling over your neighbour's fence - then imagine how sweet this one is.

Honey Bee in the Honeysuckle flower

It is a Honeysuckle, but not one of those invasive straggling vines. This is a dense shrub. I love this plant for the reason of what it does on days like today. For the rest of the year I have to stop people from wanting to chop it down - for it looks dull and has stiff stems and hard leathery leaves. A most unattractive shrub, visually.

But today I took all the visitors to the CTC outside to stand in the sun and be bathed in the sweet aroma emanating from this plant. I know we are far from Spring, but today, the plants seem not to know that.