Whether you’re enjoying a dip in the hot tub or hosting a barbecue, you’ll be glad to welcome friends and family to enjoy your outdoor living space. However, bugs are one of the few unwelcome guests. With the following gardening advice, you can keep pests away just by picking certain plants.

3 Plants to Keep Bugs Away From Your Home

1. Catnip

If you have a furry friend at home, you might already stock this plant in a flake-like form. However, when you grow it fresh in your garden, catnip is an excellent mosquito repellant. Plant this mint relative along the edges of your outdoor entertainment area, either in the ground or in hanging planters, to create a barrier from these pests.

2. Lavender

Ticks can be one of the most unsettling insects to discover on your property. Unlike other bugs, which bite and hurry away, these critters burrow into the skin, consuming blood and potentially causing Lyme disease. To keep these away from your home, plant lavender.

This perennial flower also keeps away rodents and prevents deer from gathering on your property in search of food. Best of all, lavender can be trimmed, dried, and used for aromatherapy purposes.

3. Rosemary

This herb is perfect for flavoring roast turkey, pan-frying potatoes, or even making gin cocktails. Luckily, it also happens to keep flies and mosquitoes at bay.

Despite its popularity in winter food items, rosemary thrives in warm temperatures, so you can use it to fend off the bugs all summer long. The smell of this herb may be appealing to most humans, but it will also drive cabbage moths away from your garden.

If you’re hoping to use these gardening hacks to your advantage, head to Lakeview Garden Center & Landscaping in Fairfield, OH. They sell a wide range of high-quality plants, as well as products to help you take care of your landscape, such as fertilizer and mulch. Their landscape design team can also offer valuable suggestions if you’re not sure which plants to buy. To learn more about their gardening center, visit the website or call (513) 829-6624 to chat with a friendly staff member.