[Tia Maria]

Well our garden just won't stop growing, so now the weather is improving we thought we'd better tackle the jungle!

But we keep getting rashes, sometimes itchy, sometimes stingy, sometimes just blotchy! :(

Anyone have any idea what plant could be causing this reaction?

Also nothing to do with rashes but a part of our lawn never dries out, any tips?

Can't wait till we can just sit out there and sip cocktails rather than 3 hours hard labour!

Cheers

Tia

[veronica]

not a clue, sure its garden not insect...
having had two daughters with allergies I know that it can be the strangest things that will trigger a reaction. one daughter would get hyper on oranges but was ok with the majority of colourings, the other who was born in Australia was allergic to eucaliptus... you could all be out there with itchy rashes and each person could be allergic to a different thing. anti histimines!! (spelling) might help.

[Sam B]

I regularly get urticaria after gardening, and a range of plants set it off in the UK, eg. lavender, brambles, hogweed. It could be very painful and has left me with some scars on the insides of my arms. I have to wear gauntlets if I'm doing any pruning or pulling out. Apparently once you are sensitised you are more likely to get it. Anti-histamines can help.

[Moorf]

Do you have any of these in the garden?

http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/publications/infosheets/poisonplants/poisplants_external.asp

I was surprised at the agapanthus being an irritant (which my neighbours all tell me is a weed here) as I like them and we have quite a few... here they spray them out....

[Tia Maria]

Thanks Sam B - that looks like it! Is it a cream anti-histamine that you find works?

Moorf - we could very well have all those in the garden ..... I'm off to google some photos!

Cheers

Tia

[Sam B]

When it was really bad I used a mixture of cream and pills. It is more commonly known as nettle rash, it can be a blotchy rash, but when I got it really badly it was fluid filled vesicles and was unbelievably sore and itchy. I still have scars. I'm much more careful these days.

[Tia Maria]

Thanks Sam, have to get some gauntlets - perfect for when I'm out sword fighting also! :)

Cheers

Tia