9 Fragrant Flowering Herbs That Help Repel Mosquitoes & Perfume Your Garden

Natural insect repellents have become more popular in recent years as people seek to lessen their exposure to toxic chemicals found in some insecticides. Some herbs that produce volatile essential oils are often used as ingredients in natural insect repellents. But you can also grow these herbs in your garden to help repel insects. Mosquitoes in particular are a nuisance in the summer months, and can not only cause uncomfortable bites but also spread disease. There are a number of herbs whose fragrant flowers lend beauty and pleasant scents to the garden in addition to repelling mosquitoes. 

When choosing which ones to plant in your garden, keep in mind that many of these flowering herbs can be grown easily in containers. This is a low cost, low maintenance method of growing herbs, and the containers can easily be moved around your garden or yard as desired. Placing them around your patio can lend some extra protection for seating areas, as the potent fragrance of these herbs will help keep mosquitoes from gathering nearby. While cut flowers also exude some fragrance, it's best to let these plants continue to flower on their own and provide maximum protection from mosquitoes. You should deadhead the plants as needed to keep new growth coming. Many of these herbs will keep flowering for weeks in the summer. The foliage are also full of effective essential oils that put out plenty of mosquito-deterring fragrances.

Lavender's (Lavandula angustifolia) name comes from Latin and French words meaning "to wash or clean" and has a long history of being used for cleaning products. The clean, herby fragrance of the flowers is pleasing to humans but repellent to mosquitoes, and lavender essential oil is an effective natural insect repellent. The dried flowers help repel moths from wool if stored in drawers and closets. Lavender grows best in conditions mimicking its Mediterranean origins: full sun, sandy somewhat alkaline soil, regular rainfall, and mild temperatures. There are a few cultivars of lavender that do well in colder growing zones, like Hidcote and Munstead.

Known as a popular culinary herb, rosemary's (Rosemarinus officinalis) powerful fragrance is due to a dense presence of volatile essential oils with antimicrobial properties. It is also an effective deterrent against mosquitoes. Rosemary grows well in warmer zones but will not overwinter in cold, areas, so some gardeners grow it as an annual, or grow it in containers that they bring inside for the winter. Rosemary likes full sun, and sandy soil. Taking cuttings helps stimulate new growth, and removing any dead or damages branches keeps the plant looking clean and healthy.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is the quintessential summer herb, with its peppery flavor and signature spicy scent. Basil is also a very effective insect deterrent, and can help keep mosquitoes from swarming your backyard and garden. In hot weather, some basil varieties can bolt quickly, so keep an eye on your plants and continue to harvest basil leaves often to keep them vibrant. Most gardeners trim off the flowers when they appear to promote leaf growth, but if you leave a few flowers, they will attract some beneficial pollinators, such as honeybees and butterflies.

Bee balm (Monarda) is a colorful flowering perennial that attracts many beneficial pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. It has a strong complex fragrance with notes of citrus and mint, and is known by the folk name horsemint. The wild version known as bergamot is a popular ingredient in Earl Grey tea. Despite attracting pollinator insects, bee balm is known to deter mosquitoes well. Similar to basil, bee balm releases its mosquito-deterring scent on its own, without having to be crushed to release the oils.

Alliums (genus Allium) include flowering plants like garlic, leeks, and chives. These tasty, pungent herbs provide the flavor backbone to many world cuisines, and their strong scents also repel certain insects, so they make good companion plants for some vegetables. Chives are an attractive allium with pink-purple flowers that can be planted in both the vegetable and flower bed. The onion-like scent helps repel mosquitoes. They grow best in sandy soil with full sun. The clumps increase in size quickly, so they should be divided every other year or so.

Sage  can refer to many different plants in the salvia family that grow in many different climates. Some are herbs with culinary or medicinal use, while some are more ornamental, and the flowering varieties of sage often attract many pollinators. Common garden sage (Salvia officinialis) is mainly known as a culinary plant with a strong herby scent. Like other culinary herbs loaded with volatile essential oils, sage helps repel mosquitoes, and is also known to be a deterrent of flies, chiggers, and ticks.

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) essential oil is used in a number of medicinal applications, and is also known as a powerful antibacterial agent. Thyme is also a popular culinary herb, available in many different forms and flavors such as English thyme, creeping thyme, French thyme, or lemon thyme. Thyme plants release their essential oils more effectively when the leaves are crushed, so a good method for deterring mosquitoes is to plant creeping thyme near walkways or garden oaths where it will be walked upon.

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a perennial herb that forms large clumps with sturdy roots in the garden. It has a complex chemical composition with strong insect repellent qualities, as well as volatile essential oils effective for medicinal purposes. Like many other herbs, the mosquito repelling fragrance does not deter beneficial pollinators who are attracted to oregano's abundant tiny flowers. Oregano is a hardy Mediterranean herb that loves full sun and a well-drained, sandy soil.

Flowering catmint (Nepeta) is a pollinator magnet, with tall flower spikes covered in purple-blue fragrant blooms for weeks in summer. Flowering catmint will attract bees, moths, butterflies and even hummingbirds to its nectar-rich flowers. This beautiful, resilient perennial provides plenty of color and increases garden biodiversity, but it's also desirable for its strongly-scented flowers and foliage that deter mosquitoes. Flowering catmint has a number of attractive cultivars in varying sizes perfect for different garden locations, and is easy to grow in full sun and well-drained soil.