Just outside my kitchen door on my front patio, I’ve been seeing a lot of mosquitoes hovering in hopes of entering my home. Besides the annoyance and discomfort, mosquitoes these days carry a much bigger health threat. I did some research to find out how to repel them without using harsh chemicals. To my delight, I learned that beautiful container gardens filled with fragrant herbs and flowers actually deter mosquitoes.

I went back to my favorite garden center and asked them to point me to the plants that mosquitoes hate. Apparently they dislike strong smelling herbs and flowers. Here are the ones that I chose for my containers because most of these can do double duty:

• Marigolds
• Floss Flowers
• Lemon Grass
• Lavender
• Rosemary
• Basil
• Mint
• Lemon Thyme
• Lemon Balm

They not only repel mosquitoes, but can used for cooking and crafts! I will be sure to share some recipes and other uses another time.

Tell Me: How do you repel menacing mosquitos?