Summer is here and it’s time to get outside and enjoy your backyard. 

If you’re being bothered by bugs, try growing these insect repelling plants in your garden and take back your space.

The good news is growing specific species of plants can help ward off insects. Plants secrete toxins to protect themselves against insects. Using these plants in the garden can help deter pesky insects. 

Plants that contain citronellal may keep mosquitoes away. Lemon Balm, a plant containing 38% citronellal, is in the mint family and its scent can deter mosquitoes. This is a highly invasive plant, so keeping it in a container is wise. Other plants containing citronellal include Lemongrass and catnip. 

While herbs can deter mosquitoes from landing on them, they may not provide you with effective repellent by growing in the garden alone. Because insects don’t like their scent, you can use herbs as a repellent. 

Planting rosemary in your garden or in pots around your patio will help deter ticks. Ticks don’t like the oils this plant produces. Release the essential oils by brushing up against it. Rosemary’s scent can keep ticks away from the space around it too. Sage is another herb that’ll repel ticks; however, you’ll need to walk by it to help release the scent.

Beautify your gardens with some blooms and deter ticks at the same time. Marigolds are one of the best plants to grow in your garden because they’re easy to grow and repel ticks by themselves. Roses are another beautiful plant to grow in your garden. When the rose blooms, the sweet scent repels ticks and mosquitoes. Hostas are a perennial plant that’ll grow year after year with little to no upkeep. Ticks avoid hostas which makes them the perfect border plant for your yard. 

Before picking out which plants to grow in your yard, eliminate anything that may attract these unwanted insects. Mosquitoes breed in standing water; bees, flies, and other insects are attracted to food scraps; and over watering can attract gnats. Ticks thrive in backyards that have tall grass, spilled bird seed, or piles of leaves.