There is nothing worse than sitting outside enjoying the beautiful weather and view of your great back yard only to be eaten alive by mosquitoes.
These pesky insects have a way of ruining a perfectly good time. Not only do they buzz in your ear and fly around you, they actually suck your blood. Once you get a mosquito bite you are left scratching the area and looking like a crazy person because of all the itching.
Of course there are numerous sprays and repellents that you can use in order to help keep these bugs away. However, most of these sprays simply do not smell the best and who really wants to spray those chemicals on their body anyway?
The good news is that with some simple landscape planning you can repel mosquitoes naturally. There are several gorgeous plants that you can put around your yard in order to keep mosquitoes away.
1. Basil
Not only is basil great for repelling mosquitoes, it also repels flies. You can keep this in your window sill, on your deck or wherever you have space. It is an easy herb to grow and it smells great. One of the best things about growing basil is not only does it work as a mosquito repellent, it is also great for adding to many dishes in your kitchen.
2. Citronella
It is likely that you have heard of this one as it is one of the more common ingredients in many insect repellents. There are even candles made from it. However, what you may or may not know is that citronella is actually a plant. It is a perennial that looks like clumping grass.
This plant gives off a strong odor. This odor is stronger than any product you can buy with citronella in it, making it a great choice for your yard. The plant is easy to grow and can reach heights of up to five or six feet.
3. Lemon Balm
Another natural mosquito repellent is the lemon balm, which is also a member of the mint family. However, lemon balm can be planted in the ground, since, unlike mint, it does not spread. One property of lemon balm is that is re-seeds every year, which can cause it to become rather prolific, but is convenient in case you want it to come back.
4. Lemon Thyme
Another great plant to grow to help repel mosquitoes is lemon thyme. Like basil you can use this herb in many dishes in the kitchen, making it an extremely useful addition to any yard. The plant is gorgeous and can be used for ground cover.
5. Mint
What is amazing is that all kinds of mint will perform the beneficial function. Rubbing the leaves of mint on the skin will give wonderful results, since it is a fragrant mosquito repellent. Mint is a plant that is easily grown, but it should not be planted in the ground, but in pots instead. If mint is planted in the ground, it will spread and take over everything. You can rub the leaves on your skin for a fragrant mosquito repellent.
6. Catnip
If you have cats, chances are you already have catnip growing around your house. Catnip is actually a really pretty plant that blooms during the summer months. If your cats get into it, catnip becomes even more effective as the cats will have the scent all over them and will spread it throughout your yard and home.
These are just a few of the plants that can be used in your yard in order to deter mosquitoes. There are several others that you may want to consider as well including mint, lemon balm, marigolds, lavender, garlic, penny royal, geraniums, and lilac.
Source: Mental Floss
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