Atlanta-Avid gardeners who seek tranquility in the spring by turning their landscapes green but end up with red, itchy eyes may find relief through a combination of eye drops and sowing allergy-free gardens.

A book by a California author advises gardeners what to plant to produce an allergy-free environment in their yards. But an Atlanta allergy specialist points out that airborne pollens originating miles away can still infiltrate the landscape, requiring eye medication to alleviate symptoms.

"Allergy-Free Gardening: The Revolutionary Guide to Healthy Landscaping," by Thomas Leo Ogren (Ten Speed Press) provides advice to gardeners on what to plant to avoid the most allergy-producing vegetation.

For gardeners who might not know the allergenic difference between a periwinkle and a pepper tree, Ogren has developed a rating system. The system rates more than 5,000 plants from 1 (the safest and least allergenic) to 10 (the worst and most allergenic). For example, a periwinkle is rated 1 and a staminate pepper tree is rated 10.

"Allergy rates are rising at an epidemic pace," Ogren said. "This is true in the United States and in all urban cities worldwide. Twenty-five years ago, only 10% of the U.S. population suffered from allergy. Today the official figure is 38%."

But allergy-free gardening is not a cure-all, said Mark Livezey, PhD, an allergist with Allergy and Asthma Consultants in Atlanta.

Some gardeners may have to stay inside during a heavy pollen season without masks to filter out the pollen, Dr. Livezey said. "Ophthalmic drops can help reduce symptoms," he noted.