A garden should always be a feel-good place. However, obtrusive wasps can seriously impair the late summer tranquility. With clever planting, you can keep annoying insects away - and at the same time increase the visual and atmospheric feel-good factor of your garden.
Wasps don't like Mediterranean herbs
What wasps don't like at all
Wasps have a very keen sense of smell. They use this to scent sweet food sources from afar, which all too often spoils our relaxed outdoor eating of ice cream or plum cake. But there is also a positive side to this: because the insects perceive unpleasant smells just as intensively as they perceive treats. And that includes some garden plants, which are rather pleasing to the nose. These include, for example:
- basil
- lavender
- lemon verbena
- incense plant
basil
Basil has a good reputation for wasp repellent. Experience has shown that wasps find its fresh, herbaceous-sweet smell repulsive. Completely incomprehensible for most of us - because in the human world of taste the royal herb has established itself as a highly valued herb for centuries.
The annual herb is best kept in a pot - and that makes it particularly suitable as an acute wasp repellent at the garden table. Because a basil pot can simply be placed in the middle of the table, where it can unfold its effect on the spot. At the same time, it is an attractive table decoration and offers an additional seasoning option that could not be fresher.
Mediterranean herbs
In general, wasps find ethereal, herbaceous smells repulsive. Other herbs from Mediterranean cuisine such as thyme or oregano can also have a repellent effect. Of course, a mix of everything is ideal.
To keep wasps away, it is therefore recommended, for example, to create a generous herb bed with Mediterranean herbs near the terrace or another garden seating area. A planting with classic Mediterranean herbs such as thyme, oregano and rosemary can also be a wonderful addition to your kitchen.
Of course, lavender is one of the Mediterranean plants. With its ethereal, dry, strictly sweet scent, it is completely unattractive to wasps. But even more so for us humans. Because it not only frames beds and terraces in a romantic way, but also smells extremely pleasant in our noses. It can also be used in many ways: for clothes bags, refining jams or oils or for soothing medicinal teas.
Plants with a citrus scent
Another type of smell that wasps don't like is the citrusy one. The lemon verbena exudes a very intense lemony-ethereal scent and also looks good in the Mediterranean herb bed. The slightly weaker scent of lemon balm can also contribute to the repellent effect. Both lemon herbs make wonderfully refreshing house teas and refine desserts in an exquisite way.
incense plant
The frankincense plant has nothing to do with real frankincense, but exudes a very similar, intense smell. In addition to its role as a decorative leaf plant, it is also used against annoying insects - in addition to wasps, it also drives away mosquitoes.