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With warm weather come bugs.
However, harmful chemical insecticides can ruin important pollinators and our environment.
Bees and wasps naturally steer clear of plenty of natural scents, oils, and colors.
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So, take advantage of nature’s own repellants.
Placing any of these 30 plants in your garden will keep bees and wasps away.
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Not only is basil great in pesto, but its also a natural bee and wasp repellant.
Those insects dislike the herbs strong smell.
If youplant basil, find a spot where itll receive lots of heat and sun.
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Just be careful when it starts to bloom, as pollinators might be attracted to the flowers.
Bay Leaf
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Another strongly scented herb is thebay leafor bay laurel.
Cardinal flowers are one of them.
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The bright red color of these flowers doesnt attract bees because they simply cant see red.
Bees arent attracted to the grey-toned/black color they see instead and will go elsewhere to pollinate.
However, this plant does require pollination and may attract bees during its annual bloom.
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Chives
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The strong smell of chives can deter wasps.
Citronella
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Citronella is widely known as a natural bug repellant.
Theplants lemony scentmay also have an added deterrent effect on bees and wasps.
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Be careful planting this one, though.
The plant is known to cause skin irritation and is toxic to pets.
Clove
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Bees and wasps also dont like the scent of clove.
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But they are most effective in combination with other bee- and wasp-repelling plants.
Bees and wasps dont like that at all.
This edible plant is within the gourd family, and it is easy to grow at home.
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The plant leaves a great natural repellant, but the effects might be even more significant after theyreharvested.
Eucalyptus is best planted in the spring and can grow several feet yearly.
It’s also widely known as an effective insect repellant for ants andmosquitoes.
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If you plant eucalyptus, be extra careful.
The bark, sap, and leaves are toxic to people and pets.
Ferns
Non-flowering plants are a preventative measure to keep bees and wasps away in the first place.
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Because they have no pollen, pollinators are just not that into them.
Garlic
Another way to protect your garden from bees and wasps is by planting garlic.
While some foodies love it, many people and animals do not like garlic’s very strong smell.
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Garlicshould be plantedin the fall as it prefers cooler weather.
But, its smell can keep away unwanted bugs during the warmer months too.
Geraniums have very little pollen, so they dont attract many pollinators.
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If you do plant geraniums as a deterrent, it is best to plant red ones.
Bees can’t see the color and aren’t drawn to the plant.
However, the smell does not attract wasps.
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Both bees and wasps strongly dislike lavender essential oil.
Lemongrass
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Lemongrass is an ornamental grass well known for its insect-repelling properties.
Mosquitoes most notably despise the scent.
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However, lemongrass oil produces a scent that bees and wasps also find unpleasant.
Plant this in your garden sotheyll stay away.
There are several types ofmarigold plants, so theres enough variety to match any garden.
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This harsh reality makes it a popular and effective plant choice to keep bees and wasps away.
If you plan ongrowing mint, use a growing container or pot because the plant loves to spread.
Onion
Bees are not attracted to onion nectar.
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Some say bees don’t like the high potassium content in the nectar.
Although they are a kitchen staple for humans, onions are effectivepest deterrentsagainst aphids, rabbits, and more.
Pennyroyal
With a similar scent to mint, bees and wasps stay away from pennyroyal.
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Pennyroyal is a relatively small plant that is easy to grow.
Pennyroyal also discourages ants, mosquitoes, and even unwantedwandering cats.
Peppermint
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Continuing the mint-repellent trend, peppermint has similar bug-repellant properties.
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It is a hybrid between spearmint and watermint.
This can keep the stingers away even if your mint leaves are running low.
Red lillies
Lilies are beautiful garden flowers.
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Dark red and closed-flower roses won’t attract very many bees.
Rosemary
Much like lavender, rosemary’s woody scent can repel wasps and yellowjackets.
However, the herb can still attract pollinating bees.
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It might be more effective toplant rosemary alongsideother naturally deterring plants to see a reduction in unwanted buzzing insects.
Rue
Rue is a medicinal herb that can be highly effective at keeping wasps away.
Plus, its tiny flowers arent usually attractive to bees.
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Instead, they do attract butterflies.
Beware that the leaves and flowers are toxic to humans and pets.
Sage is easy to add to any herb garden.
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Wasps dislike the strong smell, but bees could still be drawn to their blooming flowers.
Thyme
Not just great for cooking, thyme can also be a natural wasp and pest deterrent.
Thislow-maintenance perennialhas a scent that makes the garden area less attractive to wasps.
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But its best to plant thyme alongside other deterring herbs for maximum effect.
Trumpet Flower
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Trumpet flowers got their name from the flowers tubular shape.
Bees arent drawn to trumpet flowers because the shape makes it challenging to gather nectar.
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While these flowers keep pests away, they are attractive tohummingbirds.
There are many different trumpet flower varieties, likeangels trumpetor trumpet creeper.
This means theres plenty of room for gardeners to pick one that best suits their yard.
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A red variety takes the cake, as bees cant see the color.
Wintergreen
Wintergreen is a low-maintenance groundcover plant that has a neutral effect on wasps and bees.
Wintergreens are relatively easy to plant and are a welcomed sight in the winter.
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Wormwood
Artemisia, commonly known as wormwood, is a well-known natural insect deterrent.
Wasps don’t like its acrid smell.
It has a compound called absinthe, which is harmful to insects and keeps them at bay.
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Place wormwood in pots near entryways or patios to keep bees and wasps away.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
