and so it begins...

The migraine inducing sinus pressure.

See those tiny white flowers just left of centre?
Jasmine.
Jasminus Polyanthus. (I think. I looked up the proper name once and I think that is it.) 
If you click on the picture and enlarge it you'll notice all the fat pink buds surrounding the flowers and climbing higher into the tree.

With just these few flowers, I'm already suffering, although not too badly.
Once the vine is in full bloom however, I'll have to be very, very careful about opening the house. Not too early in the mornings, close up again about 4pm.
The scent from these is released at dusk and stays heavily in the air all night and well into the morning.
This particular plant is climbing a tree just over the back fence where our communal washing lines are.  Quite close to my back door.

It means holding a hanky to my nose to filter my air as I walk to the bus in the mornings.
I don't care how silly I look, nor do I care what people may think.
I'll filter my air and minimise the headaches as much as I can.

Comments

  1. Pretty but deadly....how long does the season last?

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  2. You need some of those woodworking face masks! Oh, the irony of such a pretty thing making you suffer so.

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  3. I was thinking of a mask too, like Asian people sometimes wear. Jasmine can smell nice initially, but it gets quite overpowering.

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  4. For such a small flower it has quite a punch. We uprooted the jasmine which adorned our front veranda when we moved here since I suffer as you do. And every year we have to uproot it again. Even poisons (which I don't like using) have little effect. A very tough and powerful plant. Sigh.

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  5. I never cared for the smell. Had no idea it was so noxious. I wear a mask when I sew a lot of fabric.

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  6. Delores; it's quite a long season, varying between three and four months, before the flowers begin to die off. Even as older flowers die, new ones keep appearing, so the pollen is ever present.

    CarrieBoo; I've thought about wearing a mask, but I don't think I'd like the suntan gap it would leave on my face.

    Andrew; read above re the mask. As it is, I just hold a hanky to my nose to filter the air until I'm well away from it.

    EC; I tried to kill one in a previous home. Chopped it down to the ground and applied undiluted round-up directly to the fresh cuts. It seemed to work, then three years later new shoots began appearing. So I just kept cutting and applying round-up, eventually the plant gave up.

    peskypixies; I'll be investigating desensitising injections for next season.

    Joanne Noragon; the smell is very sweet and very very heavy. Lots of people love it.

    Joni Ibarra; thanks. I'll get through this season and get allergy shots next year.

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  7. i kinda like Jasmin except that the smell is a bit overpowering for me..but then I dont seem to suffer from Hay fever or any allergies.

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  8. Tempo; the smell is very overpowering, made worse by the fact it just hangs in the air for at least two-three blocks. If it was just around the plant it wouldn't be so bad.

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  9. oh bless, I'm sorry to hear that you suffer from allergies, and that this pretty little plant is the cause of so much distress. Is it too late to get the injections now?

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  10. The Wicked Writer; probably it's too late, I'll check with the doctor next time I go and arrange for the injections for next year if I can't have them this year.

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