The coloured, sword like leaves of Phormium are not to be sneezed at!

If you suffer from Asthma, Hay Fever or Skin Allergies you want to select plants that do not exacerbate your problems.

New Zealand Flax or Phormium works well in a low allergen garden taking several years to flower. The sword shaped leaves are the attraction of this range of plants useful for a focal point in a border, gravel or container.

Phormium can be purchased mail order at amazon.

The species Phormium tenax is quite large growing but some hybrid varieties like ‘Bronze Baby’ will work well in even small gardens. Phormium ‘Purpureum’ is a robust grower but ‘Sundowner’ (below) is smaller and has interesting cream, purple and green striped foliage.

Indoors you can try Phormium ‘Dusky Boy’ or ‘Surfer Chief’ but Phormiums prefer a sunny site outdoors. Spray with tepid water to keep dust down.

Fern-Wood Nurseries in Devon have a lot of information on 190+ Phormium varieties and how to cultivate them.