I'm newly retired and moved into a house where I can garden. I'm
deathly allergic to the stings of wasps and bees, however. Are there
plants I should avoid, such as lilac or honeysuckle? I was thinking
of lining the flowerbeds along the drive with honeysuckle...

On 20 May 2007 12:55:02 -0700, texas_gardener
wrote:

I'm newly retired and moved into a house where I can garden. I'm
deathly allergic to the stings of wasps and bees, however. Are there
plants I should avoid, such as lilac or honeysuckle? I was thinking
of lining the flowerbeds along the drive with honeysuckle...


Bees like most sweet flowers, so best to avoid those. Wasps like to
build in bushes, under decks, or anyplace where some protection is
provided. Your best bet is to watch where you step and put your
hands.

texas_gardener wrote:
I'm newly retired and moved into a house where I can garden. I'm
deathly allergic to the stings of wasps and bees, however. Are there
plants I should avoid, such as lilac or honeysuckle? I was thinking
of lining the flowerbeds along the drive with honeysuckle...


Have you talked to your MD about getting an EpiPen or three to have
around? It is a wise precaution for anyone with debilitating allergic
reactions.

Personally, I'm not what you'd call allergic to insect stings, beyond
the normal aversion to the pain, but in ten years here in a large yard
with many honey bees, bumblebees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, and
other stinging insects I've only been stung once. And that was by some
ground-nesting beastie which I stirred up with the lawnmower and which
stung me through my shirt and which raised an amazingly painful knot.
This happened nowhere close to any flowering plants.

--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com

On Sun, 20 May 2007 16:53:23 -0400, John McGaw
wrote:

texas_gardener wrote:
I'm newly retired and moved into a house where I can garden. I'm
deathly allergic to the stings of wasps and bees, however. Are there
plants I should avoid, such as lilac or honeysuckle? I was thinking
of lining the flowerbeds along the drive with honeysuckle...


Have you talked to your MD about getting an EpiPen or three to have
around? It is a wise precaution for anyone with debilitating allergic
reactions.

Yes, please, check out the EpiPen! Been there...

Personally, I'm not what you'd call allergic to insect stings, beyond
the normal aversion to the pain, but in ten years here in a large yard
with many honey bees, bumblebees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, and
other stinging insects I've only been stung once. And that was by some
ground-nesting beastie which I stirred up with the lawnmower and which
stung me through my shirt and which raised an amazingly painful knot.
This happened nowhere close to any flowering plants.

Go to a sporting goods store and buy the net garments that protect hunters
and fishermen from bees and mosquitoes. Wear the head net over a hat to
protect face and neck. The shirt net offers some protection but wearing a
long sleeved shirt will help. I've gardened in Austin and know the heat and
long-sleeved shirts are not comfortable in the heat. Wear leather gloves and
there are net gloves that can be worn over them. Tape or tie the pants nets
to the shoes. Good luck.

You don't say what part of the nation of Texas you are in. There's a big
difference in gardening in Houston and Odessa. Lilacs won't survive the heat
except possibly in northeastern Texas. Go to a book store and buy a Texas
gardening book. They give good advice on what will survive in the different
areas of Texas. Water rationing in some parts of Texas limits plant
selection. Soil alkalinity also limits plants in some parts.

"texas_gardener" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm newly retired and moved into a house where I can garden. I'm
deathly allergic to the stings of wasps and bees, however. Are there
plants I should avoid, such as lilac or honeysuckle? I was thinking
of lining the flowerbeds along the drive with honeysuckle...

"texas_gardener" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm newly retired and moved into a house where I can garden. I'm
deathly allergic to the stings of wasps and bees, however. Are there
plants I should avoid, such as lilac or honeysuckle? I was thinking
of lining the flowerbeds along the drive with honeysuckle...


If I was braindead and allergic to bees, I might consider honeysuckle too.
Dave

On 20 May 2007 12:55:02 -0700, texas_gardener
wrote:

I'm newly retired and moved into a house where I can garden. I'm
deathly allergic to the stings of wasps and bees, however. Are there
plants I should avoid, such as lilac or honeysuckle? I was thinking
of lining the flowerbeds along the drive with honeysuckle...

What type of allergic reaction? Does your throat swell up until you stop
breathing or does the sting location get hot, swollen, red and continue to
swell for days after the bite? I don't do the first reaction (the fatal
one) but I sure do the second one and both are called allergic reactions.
For me a sting means a week on steroids, at least -- the most recent one
was for a simple little sting from a sweat bee. The epi pen is for the
first type of reaction, not the second one.

And if you get the first type of reaction, I'd think a row of honeysuckle
might be a very bad idea indeed. Also avoid loose clothing (so insects
can't get tangled in it, under it or around it) and bare feet -- the most
common ways to get stung without too much effort on your part.

"Dave" wrote in
link.net:

"texas_gardener" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm newly retired and moved into a house where I can garden. I'm
deathly allergic to the stings of wasps and bees, however. Are there
plants I should avoid, such as lilac or honeysuckle? I was thinking
of lining the flowerbeds along the drive with honeysuckle...


If I was braindead and allergic to bees, I might consider honeysuckle
too. Dave



Okay, you owe me a new keyboard, Mister! There is sweet tea everywhere!

In article .com,
texas_gardener wrote:

I'm newly retired and moved into a house where I can garden. I'm
deathly allergic to the stings of wasps and bees, however. Are there
plants I should avoid, such as lilac or honeysuckle? I was thinking
of lining the flowerbeds along the drive with honeysuckle...

Honeysuckle is out. They're bee magnets.

Ask your doc to prescribe an Epi-Pen for you. If you get stung,
you can poke yourself in the thigh with epi and still be alive
when the ambulance gets there. (Or still be alive to be able to
phone 911 and get the ambulance on the way.)

I always keep one handy, after enjoying an anaphylaxis episode
a few years back.

Good luck,

Jan

--
Bedouin proverb: If you have no troubles, buy a goat.

On May 20, 11:12 pm, "Dave" wrote:
If I was braindead and allergic to bees, I might consider honeysuckle too.
Dave

That's "were" braindead, hon.

On May 21, 6:03 am, FragileWarrior
wrote:
What type of allergic reaction? Does your throat swell up until you stop
breathing or does the sting location get hot, swollen, red and continue to
swell for days after the bite?

I haven't been bitten since I was a child, many, many moons ago. I
used to get wildly painful mosquitos bites; I was running once in
Hawaii and got 63 infected bites, from the mosquitos rising in the
morning due to the morning traffic, I was told. The one time I was
bitten by a wasp the results were not inability to breath, but your
second mention: "hot, swollen, red" and continues "to swell for days
after the bite." So perhaps, as an adult, it's not an issue. I bet
it is, though.

I think I'll mix the honeysuckle with the hedge roses (red); that
should be nice out there. I don't have to go out there that much and
the gardener can do the work.

Thanks!

Here is a source of protective gear that I have used.

http://insectout.com/index.htm

"texas_gardener" wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm newly retired and moved into a house where I can garden. I'm
deathly allergic to the stings of wasps and bees, however. Are there
plants I should avoid, such as lilac or honeysuckle? I was thinking
of lining the flowerbeds along the drive with honeysuckle...

On May 21, 9:52 am, "nonews" wrote:
Here is a source of protective gear that I have used.
http://insectout.com/index.htm

Oh, that's great; thank you.

On May 21, 9:52 am, "nonews" wrote:
Here is a source of protective gear that I have used.
http://insectout.com/index.htm

Oh, that's great; thank you.

texas_gardener wrote in
oups.com:

On May 21, 6:03 am, FragileWarrior
wrote:
What type of allergic reaction? Does your throat swell up until you
stop breathing or does the sting location get hot, swollen, red and
continue to swell for days after the bite?

I haven't been bitten since I was a child, many, many moons ago. I
used to get wildly painful mosquitos bites; I was running once in
Hawaii and got 63 infected bites, from the mosquitos rising in the
morning due to the morning traffic, I was told. The one time I was
bitten by a wasp the results were not inability to breath, but your
second mention: "hot, swollen, red" and continues "to swell for days
after the bite." So perhaps, as an adult, it's not an issue. I bet
it is, though.


You might want to be tested for it, if that's possible. There's nothing
like getting bit and thinking you're about to die when all you really
have to do is take some Benedryl and mosey on over to the Dr's. office.
I always thought an allergic reaction was an allergic reaction was an
allergic reaction and if you had ANY kind of reaction then death was
always a possibility. My doctor finally said no, that I had the type
that was inconvinient but not deadly. The sweat bee bite I got on my
elbow this spring made my arm swell from wrist to armpit and half way
'round but it wasn't fatal and that's just as well because I was a long,
long, long way from help when it happened. It really is nice to know
what type of allergic reaction you will have when you feel that sting.