The constant buzz of flies or mosquito bites can quickly ruin a pleasant summer day on your lawn. Learn more about the 13 flowers and herbs that will keep pests out of your yard if you want to have a bug-free area to entertain and enjoy. These plants can improve your landscape and repel even the most persistent insects with their unique scents.
Making your yard a lovely outdoor retreat is easy, thanks to the classic beauty of marigolds and the calming scent of lavender.
This essay will discuss:
13 flowers and plants that will keep bugs away from your yard
1. Ocimum basilicum, or basil
2. (Calendula officinalis) Calendula
3. Nepeta cataria, or catnip
4. Various types of chrysanthemums
5. (Cymbopogon nardus) Citronella
6. (Anethum graveolens) Dill
7. Pelargonium spp., or geraniums
8. Lavender (species of Lavender)
9. The Tagetes spp. marigolds
10. Mint (Mentha species)
11. Species of petunias
12. Salvia rosmarinus, or rosemary
13. Thymus vulgaris, or thyme
FAQ regarding flowers that repel bugs in your yard
13 Flowers And Plants That Will keep Bugs Away From Your Yard
Scents released by bug-repellent flowers and plants disrupt insects’ internal physiological functions and sensory receptors. By doing this, they are unable to settle on or consume the plants in your garden.
They typically draw helpful and predatory insects like ladybugs, lacewings, bees, and butterflies while discouraging pests.
You may enjoy your yard without having to deal with pests by using these 13 flowers and herbs as a natural remedy.
1. Ocimum basilicum, or basil
Repellents include flies, whiteflies, carrotflies, mites, aphids, and mosquitoes.
Good companions include marigolds, lemongrass, chamomile, lettuce, broccoli, and tomatoes.
Preferred soil type: wet, fertile, well-draining soil
Favorite sun: full sun
Zones of hardiness: 10–11
Basil is a powerful natural insect repellant for your garden in addition to its culinary uses. This fragrant herb releases an unpleasant-smelling perfume when its leaves are touched. Planting basil in your garden can enhance your outdoor experience, whether you’re relaxing in it or having a cookout on the patio.
Large, oval, slightly curved, smooth-textured leaves that grow opposite one another on thin, square stems are the hallmark of basil. Their hues range from vivid to deep green and even purple. Its tubular, fragile, pale pink or white blooms are arranged in spikes or clusters atop the stalks.
Basil prefers soil that is damp but not waterlogged and that has easy access to minerals. Basil is usually planted once a year in milder areas, although it can be grown as a perennial in USDA hardiness zones 10–11, which offers year-round protection from pests.
2. (Calendula officinalis) Calendula
Aphids, cabbage worms, and mosquitoes are repellents.
Good companions include potatoes, carrots, strawberries, geraniums, lavender, salvia, and roses.
Favorite soil types are fertile, well-draining, neutral, or slightly acidic soil.
Preferred solar conditions: full sun to partial shade
Zones of hardiness: 2–11
Calendula is a beautiful and adaptable plant that, in addition to adding color to the landscape, deters insects with its unique musky, woodsy scent. Calendula is the solution if you want results quickly; it grows readily from seed and matures in a few months. When fully grown, it keeps blooming until the first frost.
For healthy growth, calendula requires full sun, moisture, and nutrition. Calendula has been used for generations for its culinary and medicinal properties in addition to its ability to repel insects. Its restorative qualities make it a mainstay in natural skincare products, and its edible petals can be used to add flair to salads, soups, and teas.
3. Nepeta cataria, or catnip
Repellents include termites, ants, cockroaches, mice, termites, aphids, squash bugs, and mosquitoes.
Compatible with: cauliflower, broccoli, squash, pumpkin, and beets
Fertile, well-draining soil is preferred.
Preferred solar conditions: full sun to partial shade
Zones of hardiness: 3–9
In your garden, catnip may be a true bug-buster. It’s not just for cats. Nepetalactone, a special ingredient found in this mint family member, can be quite successful at keeping a range of pests away and establishing a fun, bug-free space. Its minty, sweet scent is quite repulsive to bugs.
Catnip is a magnificent addition to any landscape with its heart-shaped, gray or green leaves, square, erect stems, and exquisite flowers that are tinged purple and white.
Because catnip can grow in a variety of temperatures and environments, care shouldn’t be an issue. Apart from its ability to repel insects, catnip offers other medical and culinary benefits. Its leaves can be sprinkled fresh on salads or dried for a calming tea.
4. Chrysanthemums
Respellants include moths, cutworms, Japanese beetles, fleas, ticks, ants, and roaches.
Salvia, sedum, asters, echinacea, and dahlias are good companions.
Preferred soil type: rich, sandy, loamy, well-draining soil
Favorite sun: full sun
Zones of hardiness: 5–9
In addition to their beautiful, long-lasting flowers, which can be white, yellow, pink, orange, purple, or red, chrysanthemums—also called “mums”—are well-liked for their inherent ability to keep pests away. They contain pyrethrin, a powerful natural insecticide that can effectively repel pests and form a barrier against them.
Mums may be enjoyed indoors or out thanks to their visual adaptability, which enables them to be utilized in flower beds, borders, and containers.
5. (Cymbopogon nardus) Citronella
Mosquitoes serve as repellents.
It goes great with: lemon balm, lavender, marigold, catnip, rosemary, and thyme
Preferred soil type: rich, loamy, well-draining soil
Preferred solar conditions: full sun to partial shade
Zones of hardiness: 9–12
Citronella can help if mosquitoes are disrupting your outdoor experience. Citronella is an effective mosquito repellent because it has a powerful, citrusy aroma that deters mosquitoes. When its long, narrow, green leaves are crushed, the eponymous scent is released. Citronella typically grows in clusters and doesn’t produce blooms.
After the final frost, put your citronella plants outside, or in containers that you can bring inside for the winter.
These flowers may not totally get rid of mosquitoes, but they can successfully discourage them. Consider combining citronella plants with oil-based repellents or candles for the best mosquito control.
6. (Anethum graveolens) Dill
Repels include squash bugs, cabbage moths, spider mites, and aphids.
Good companions include parsley, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, nasturtiums, and lavender.
Favorite soil type: loose, fertile, well-draining soil
Favorite sun: full sun
Zones of hardiness: 2–11
Cooking lovers adore the delicious herb dill. It works well as a common bug repellent because of its potent, fresh, herbal scent. Plant the dried herb in the yard to establish a barrier against pests, or sprinkle it on flowers or plants that are susceptible to the little monsters.
Beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings are attracted to dill because of its lovely yellow blossoms and feathery foliage. For veggies like tomatoes, cucumbers, and brassicas, it is a great companion plant.
7. Pelargonium spp., or geraniums
Slugs, snails, Japanese beetles, cabbage worms, and mosquitoes are all repulsed.
Good companions include petunias, marigolds, begonias, and nasturtiums.
Fertile, well-draining soil is preferred.
Favorite sun: full sun
Zones of hardiness: 9–11
Another popular flower for the yard that keeps bugs away is geranium. They are a popular choice for both novice and seasoned gardeners due to their low maintenance requirements and mild citrus aroma, which deters bugs. Not to mention their striking appearance, which includes blooms that are orange, scarlet, white, or pink and stand above bronze or rich green foliage.
Whether you have dry or wet soil, or sun or shade, these hardy plants may thrive in every environment. For best pest control results, put them around borders and walkways, among your crops, and close to entryways or plants that are susceptible.
8. Lavender (species of Lavender)
Repels include flies, moths, fleas, and mosquitoes.
Goes great with: echinacea, thyme, rosemary, sage, and roses
Preferred soil types are sandy or loamy, somewhat alkaline, and well-draining soil.
Favorite sun: full sun
Zones of hardiness: 5–9
One flower that is well-known for both its ageless beauty and its ability to repel insects is lavender. Its sweet, floral, herbal scent is adored by people but hated by insects. Its characteristics include woody branches, spiky purple blooms, and tall, narrow, gray or green leaves covered with small hairs.
In order to maintain the health of its root system, lavender grows best in conditions where excess water is effectively drained away.
However, this amazing flower is used in herbal medicines, aromatherapy, and culinary experiments for purposes more than simply keeping insects away. Pollinators are drawn to its fragrant blossoms, and it is an essential plant for any garden due to its aesthetic appeal and environmentally beneficial qualities.
9. Tagetes spp. marigolds
Aphids, nematodes, whiteflies, and mosquitoes are repulsed.
Go well with: pumpkin, dill, cilantro, thyme, rosemary, and alyssum
Preferred soil type: rich, well-drained soil
Preferred solar conditions: full sun to partial shade
Zones of hardiness: 2–11
Brightly gorgeous marigolds have brilliant flowers that, depending on the cultivar, might be orange, crimson, brown, or even creamy white in addition to gold and yellow. Marigolds are dependable annuals with a distinct musky aroma that deters pests and are renowned for their easy care. It might make you think of damp hay when you breath it.
Although they may grow in a variety of soil types, marigolds thrive in soils that drain properly so that their roots can obtain the nutrients they need to grow healthily. They are frequently found in a variety of landscapes around the nation because of their capacity to adapt to various conditions.
In addition to their ability to fight pests, marigolds benefit ecosystems by drawing pollinators like ladybugs, which lower aphid populations.
10. Mint (Mentha species)
Repels include rats, ants, aphids, and mosquitoes.
Good companions include peonies, marigolds, radishes, peas, tomatoes, oregano, and roses.
Preferred soil type: rich, wet, somewhat acidic soil
Favorite sun: full sun
Zones of hardiness: 3–11
Planting mint is worthwhile since it is a powerful natural insect repellent that can protect your yard from common yard pests. Mint oil’s primary element, menthol, makes it simple to ward off bothersome insects that appear whenever you’re outside.
Small, rounded, serrated leaves, square stems covered in fine hairs, and tiny clusters of light purple, pink, or white flowers that resemble whorls or spikes on top of the stems are all characteristics of this fragrant plant.
Put your mint plant in a container on your patio or in a raised garden bed with lots of cover to shelter it from the harsh midday sun and ensure its success. To avoid leaf diseases and root rot, keep the soil sufficiently moist but not saturated.
However, keep in mind that mint is a hostile plant; therefore it is best to keep it in a pot. It will outcompete the majority of nearby plants in open gardens. Mint may be quite tough to eliminate once it has taken hold.
11. Species of petunias
Repel: tomato hornworms and aphids
Verbena, sweet alyssum, lobelia, salvia, fan flowers, geraniums, and daisies are excellent companions.
Fertile, well-draining soil is preferred.
Favorite sun: full sun
Zones of hardiness: 9–11
Another excellent defense against insects is a petunia. They emit a sticky material that attracts insects and shields neighboring plants from harm. By covering up the scent of more appealing plants, their overpoweringly sweet aroma can also deter most insects.
Beneficial insects like hoverflies, ladybugs, and bees are drawn to the yard by petunias’ incredibly lovely blooms. Because these pollinators consume aphids, adding petunias to your garden is a natural approach to make it more pest-resistant.
12. Salvia rosmarinus, or rosemary
Repels include carrot flies, cabbage moths, and mosquitoes.
Good companions include sage, lavender, oregano, thyme, marigolds, and alyssum.
Preferred soil type: sandy loam, mildly acidic, well-draining soil
Favorite sun: full sun
Zones of hardiness: 7–10
Adding rosemary to your landscape is a natural and effective approach to keep insects away and make time for outdoor activities more enjoyable. Many insects dislike the strong smell that rosemary emits due to the essential oils it contains. It’s usually described as woody, piney, and fresh.
The Mediterranean origins of rosemary are shown in its fondness for sandy soil. It thrives in full-sun coastal areas with hot, dry weather. Under the right circumstances, rosemary produces long, needle-like, evergreen leaves that resembles bushes. Its delicate, tiny, cluster-forming flowers, which come in pale blue and violet hues, are a vibrant visual feast.
Although this particular flower thrives in mild temperatures, it can also be taken indoors in colder locations and grown in containers. You might use rosemary as a flowering bush next to your house or in a variety of culinary preparations when it’s not being used to ward off pests.
13. Thymus vulgaris, or thyme
Repels include tomato hornworms, cabbage worms, and mosquitoes.
Rosemary, lavender, oregano, sage, eggplant, cauliflower, and strawberries are good companions.
Favorite soil types: sandy, loamy, light, and well-draining
Favorite sun: full sun
Zones of hardiness: 5–9
Why not incorporate thyme into your yard as a permanent fixture if you appreciate natural pest control? Its scent successfully deters bothersome pests from the yard, making it a priceless tool for any homeowner trying to reduce pest damage and have a lovely, healthy yard. A word of caution? Its leaves must be crushed or bruised in order to release the compounds that repel pests. If you are unsure, use gloves and proceed with caution since this may irritate sensitive skin.
Thyme may bring striking appeal to herb gardens or borders with its low-growing habit and tiny lavender, white, or pink blooms. If you want to reduce the amount of time you spend maintaining your lawn, you may also utilize it as a beautiful groundcover that grows slowly.
FAQ regarding flowers that repel bugs in your yard
Where in the yard should I put flowers that repel bugs?
When put appropriately, these flowers work best near outdoor dining areas, entrances, or garden plants that are most susceptible to pest attacks—areas where insects are likely to congregate and cause harm.
Are flowers that repel bugs safe for kids and pets?
When grown and cared for properly, the majority of bug-repellent flowers are safe for children and pets. Nevertheless, it’s a good idea to make sure every plant is safe before planting, particularly in areas where kids or pets might come into contact with them.
Can flowers that repel bugs also help keep pests away from inside spaces?
Many of the plants we list are effective indoor pest deterrents, particularly when cultivated in pots close to windows or doorways. These consist of marigolds, geraniums, lavender, and rosemary. However, don’t be disheartened if you don’t see results right away because their efficacy may be diminished inside. The secret is perseverance.
What are the advantages of companion planting?
Combining different flower types in your garden allows the plants to benefit from one another and replicates the natural environment. Additionally, this draws in helpful insects and microbes that support a healthy ecology.