Summer is coming up fast, which means lots of fun in the sun and nighttime campfires. The one thing that always sends people packing back inside are mosquitoes! Keep these pests at bay by planting these 8 plants in your garden! Growing plants such as rosemary and lavender is a great and all-natural way to keep mosquitoes away. If you’re worried about harsh chemicals from sprays, going all-natural is the way to go! Take a look at our list of 8 plants below and pick out your favorite!

1. Rosemary

Not only is rosemary a great herb to use in the kitchen, it also keeps nasty mosquitoes away! Rosemary is a hardy plant that requires little water and lots of sun.

2. Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal flowers look great as a groundcover and they can also be used in the kitchen! It works well in many fish dishes if you’re looking for a special boost of flavor. Butterflies love Pennyroyal – they just can’t seem to stay away!

3. Lavender

Lavender is also an all-natural mosquito repellant! Lavender is an easy plant to grow, and requires well-draining soil and lots of sun. It also makes a great tea!

4. Basil

We all know that basil is the star in every tomato sauce, but did you know that it repels mosquitoes, too? Basil will thrive if you live in a hot and dry climate, and it needs well-draining soil and lots of sunlight.

5. Peppermint

Many bugs hate the smell of peppermint, which is great news for us since peppermint is an herb that is a must-have in any garden and kitchen! Use it to make tea, soothe mosquito bites, or add it to your lemonade!

6. Citronella

Citronella is a common ingredient in most store-bought mosquito repellants. It’s a tall grass that can grow up to 6 feet tall and works great in a climate without frost. If you live in an area with frost, you can simply plant it in a pot and bring it inside during cold weather.

7. Horsemint

Horsemint grows quickly and loves the shade. It loves sandy soil and its leaves can be used to make a delicious tea.

8. Catnip

For the cat lovers out there, planting catnip is a must! Catnip is a member of the mint family and is super easy to grow. It’s drought tolerant and not only keeps mosquitoes away, but also flies, termites, and cockroaches!

Photos: Deux Dilettantes, Wikipedia, Parfait Image, Everything Lavender, My Everyday Oils, Rawyaelgammal, Garden Guides, Img Arcade, My Medicine Woman.

There’s tonnes of things you can make with lavender! We’ve rounded up 7 lavender crafts that you can make in a pinch! Take a look!

1. Deodorizing Disks

Easy to make with only a few ingredients, toss these disks anywhere you need deodorizing power! Tutorial here.

2. Lavender Dipped Letters

These are perfect for a nursery or children’s room! Follow along with the easy tutorial here.

3. Lavender and Rosemary Wreath

For this herb wreath, all you need is lavender, rosemary, a wreath form, and bobby pins! Make a big one to fit on your front door, or make several smaller ones to hang around your home. Check out the tutorial!

4. Homemade Lavender Beeswax Candle

This super cute candle in a teacup makes a great gift! Make it for Mother’s Day, or give them out as wedding favors! Tutorial here.

5. Lavender and Candles

Fill glass tumblers with dried lavender! As the candle warms the lavender, the lavender will release its scent!

6. Make Your Own Essential Oil

Try your hand at making homemade lavender essential oil! All you need is lavender and vodka! Tutorial here.

7. Lavender Sugar

This lavender sugar goes great with baking recipes. Use it instead of regular sugar in your favorite recipes for an added flavor boost! Super easy tutorial here.

Photos: One Good Thing By Jillee, Sarah the Architect, Lightly Crunchy, Shelterness, Condo Blues, Lazy Budget Chef, By Stephanie Lynn.

One of our favorite herbs has got to be lavender! It not only looks pretty, but it smells great, too! We love using lavender essential oil in home made cleaning products, but did you know that you can use lavender for tonnes of other things? Tea, headache relief, adding it in the bath… The uses for lavender are endless! We’ve picked our top 10 uses for lavender that you need to try today!

1. Good Night’s Sleep

Sprinkle lavender essential oil on your pillow for a good night’s sleep. The smell will help relax you, and help you get to sleep faster.

2. Lavender Spray

To make your home smell fantastic, add a few drops of lavender essential oil to a spray bottle filled with distilled water. Spray anywhere you would like to freshen up. You can also use this as a facial tonic, and to help get rid of inflamed acne!

3. Bathtime

Add a few drops of lavender oil to your bath water. You’ll feel tranquil, and you’ll smell amazing!

4. Headaches

To relieve headaches, rub lavender oil on your temples.

5. Baking

Use organically grown lavender in cookies, scones, and cake recipes. You can also use it to decorate cakes!

6. Salad Dressing

For a delicious salad dressing, mix together 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 6 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 crushed garlic clove, 2 tbsp honey, 1 tsp mustard powder, and 1 tsp organic dried lavender flowers.

7. Mosquito Repellant

Rub fresh lavender flowers on your legs and arms to repel mosquitoes and flies.

8. Tea

Make a calming tea by steeping lavender and chamomile in boiling water.

9. Deter Insects

Add fresh lavender bunches in closets to keep moths and silverfish at bay.

10. Carpet Cleaner

Make a eco-friendly carpet cleaner by mixing 5-6 drops of lavender essential oil to 1 cup baking soda. Sprinkle the mixture onto your carpets and allow it to sit for 1 hour before vacuuming.

Photos: Bellejheanell, Free Images Live, Food, Doterra Blog.

We’ve decided to ditch the store-bought deodorizers in favor of natural, home-made ones. Free of any toxic chemicals, they’re completely safe for you and your pets. These natural home deodorizers can be made in almost any combination. Simply add the ingredients (cut any fruit into slices ) to a pot and fill 3/4 of the way with water. Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature down to a simmer. Leave the scent to simmer for a few hours, adding water as needed. If you like, you can use a crock pot instead of using the stove. You can also freeze the scents for future use. Remember, there are no measurements in these recipes! Experiment a little to find which scent suits you best.

Here are a few recipes to get you started:

1. Cinnamon sticks, orange rinds, apple peels, and whole cloves.

2. A few drops of vanilla and orange peels.

3. Lime, coconut oil, and vanilla.

4. Oranges, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and vanilla.

5. Rosemary, lavender, and lemon.

6. Cedar twigs.

7. Lemon, black peppercorns, and basil.

8. Earl Grey tea and vanilla extract.

9. Lemon, peppermint extract, and rosemary.

10. Orange and almond extract.

Photos: Day Break Houses, Eliza Domestica, A Joyful Dwelling.