People urged to plant three flowers to repel wasps from their garden

Nothing will ruin a lazy day out in your garden faster than a horde of wasps – but an expert reveals these three flowers will send them fleeing. The UK has already enjoyed its third heatwave, which means many of us are spending a lot more time out of our stuffy houses and in the garden. However, before you step out with your favourite book, be on the watch out for an influx of insects – including wasps.

Insects are cold-blooded, which means they’re unable to regulate their internal temperature. Warmer temperatures, like those currently being experienced in the UK, allow them to be much more active and breed faster.

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Of course, the same goes for wasps. They’re easily one of Britain’s most-disliked bugs and can cause a mass panic when they appear due to their painful stingers.

But while tempting, it’s best to avoid turning to chemical wasp-killers. These tend to include incredibly harsh ingredients that can damage your garden and harm surrounding wildlife.

Plus, wasps are beneficial to your garden’s eco-system. As with bees, they act as pollinators and play a key role in the proliferation of many flowers and plants.

Instead, gardening expert James Higgins at Grass247 offers a wasp-beating hack that won’t destroy your garden. He says: “Planting strong scented plants is a great method when it comes to getting rid of wasps naturally.”

Which plants should you opt for? He suggests: “Wasps are very sensitive to smells, and so plants like lavender, geranium, and eucalyptus will put them off from coming into your garden.”

Given that wasps use their sense of smell to navigate and source food, stronger scents, like lavender, can overwhelm them and put them off approaching your garden. Interestingly, lavender flowers will still attract bees, so you don’t have to worry about repelling other useful pollinators from your garden.

Aside from flowers, James also recommends planting strong-smelling herbs. In particular, he points out that rosemary, sage and mint are great at keeping wasps out of your garden.

If you want to make your home even more wasp-proof, make sure your house and garden is as clean as possible. That means not leaving food, especially food high in sugar, lying out and keeping outdoor bins away from windows.

Equally, if you find yourself in the presence of a wasp, it’s best not to swat it or cause a fuss. Wasps primarily sting in self-defence, so your best bet is to stay calm.