Your backyard patio is a gathering place for friends and family, a place where you entertain your neighbors and strengthen friendships. You put a lot of time and effort into ensuring that your patio and your yard are the perfect entertaining spaces and you may have even worked with landscape contractors in Alpharetta to get it just right. The last thing you want is for bugs to keep you from using that space.
At Stoeckig Landscape Group, we want you to be able to use your backyard spaces, so here are some great decoration ideas that that can also double as a bug repellent, so your patio can not only be usable, but beautiful as well!
Chrysanthemums
If you want to repel a number of common pests, including ants and mosquitoes, then all you have to do is put a few pots of flowers around your patio. Chrysanthemums are a beautiful perennial flower that repels these pests, so use them liberally in your yard. These flowers also come in many colors, so they can really add some beauty and vibrancy to the area around your patio while helping to fight off those annoying pests.
Citronella Candles
While best known for repelling mosquitoes, citronella can also repel other insects. Place a few of these candles around your patio and light them up a few minutes before you plan to use the space. The scent of the candles will drive the insects away and give you a comfortable, bug-free space to relax in. This can be especially nice if you’re having an evening party, as this is when many pests are most active, and the candles will also add a nice, relaxing glow to the party. The candles can come in many styles to suit your tastes and to help your patio look just the way you want.
Herb Planters
If you’re looking for something to put on your patio that serves multiple functions, then consider planting some herbs. You can do this in hanging planter boxes if you want to keep the herbs out of the way of your backyard parties. Many herbs, like mint, basil, thyme, and oregano, can repel various insects, so plant as many fragrant herbs around your patio as you wish. When planted in decorative planter boxes, they can add depth and interest to your patio design while helping to keep the space free of bugs. And as an added bonus, you can harvest the herbs to use in your kitchen at any time!
Homemade Potpourri
Many natural elements help to repel insects, and they can often be mixed into a lovely, sweet-smelling potpourri that you can put on your patio. The petals of insect-repelling flowers like chrysanthemums and lavender can be dried and mixed into a potpourri along with citrus meals, cinnamon sticks, and even vanilla beans. All of these ingredients repel one type of insect or another. Fill a bowl to put on your patio table, or put the potpourri in hanging bags around your patio. This will keep the space smelling beautiful while keeping away flies, mosquitoes, wasps, and other pests that may plague your picnics.
If you need a little guidance on how to best use these insect-repelling decorations in your backyard space, just contact Stoeckig Landscape Group, your preferred landscape and patio design contractors in Alpharetta.