13 Patio Plants That Will Keep Away The Bees

There’s tons of information on how to lure pollinators in, but what about keeping them away? Bees love flowers with pollen or nectar, and they sometimes visit flowerless plants to rest. Planting fragrant herbs and plants lacking nutrient-rich flowers keeps them away.

Many common plants in cultivation grow without pollen or nectar, or they have a shape that prevents bees from accessing their food sources. Flowers with double layers of petals often hide stigmas and anthers deep inside themselves. Bees struggle to break through the petals; they travel off to search for more rewarding plants.

Mint

	botanical name Mentha ssp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-3’
	hardiness zones 2-10

Some mint varieties are incredibly invasive outside their native range—they spread via underground runners, seeds, and rooting stems to take over bare soil. Grow this herbaceous perennial in containers to limit its spread, or consider growing North American native mints like Mentha arvensis and Mentha canadensis. 

Rosemary

	botanical name Salvia rosmarinus
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2-6’
	hardiness zones 8-10

Rosemary is essential for flavoring mashed potatoes, roasting meat, and sourdough bread. It lends a delightful sage flavor to any dish it touches. The only time rosemary attracts insects is when it flowers—cut off unopened blooms before they sprout to keep bugs off your patio.

One type, prostrate rosemary, goes great in Mediterranean-style gardens. As its name suggests, it sends stems out that cascade down. This type works well on hillsides, dry gardens, and elevated borders. The normal species of rosemary is perfect for most areas throughout zones eight to ten. It reaches two to four feet tall in the air, with stems that sprout needle-like, aromatic foliage and blue-white flowers.

Situate rosemary in containers or raised beds on your patio—it appreciates full sun, good drainage, and regular water. Once it establishes itself it’s drought-hardy like lavender. Both lavender and rosemary originate from the Mediterranean hills; match these conditions for optimal growing success. 

Catnip

	botanical name Nepeta cataria
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-4’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Cats and gardeners delight at the sight of catnip! This minty relative’s oils contain compounds like nepetalactone that repel bugs while simultaneously attracting cats. It smells like a mild mix of citronella, lemon balm, and mint. Start catnip using seeds, or find potted plants at a nursery near you.

Catnip, like mint, has fragrant flowers that attract pollinators. Cut these blossoms off before the plants sprout in order to keep bees away. If you have cats, dry the buds and put them in a jar to feed your kitty. If you don’t, you can still use the dried leaves and flower buds to make a minty tea.

Catnip is an aggressive spreader—pull up rooting stems to keep it small. In areas with winter frost, the cold keeps it small in stature; it’ll go dormant underground until the heat arrives. It’s evergreen in zones nine and above. Chop it during midseason to shorten it, and to prevent flowers from opening and attracting buzzing insects. Containers also effectively limit catnip’s spread.

Garlic

	botanical name Allium sativum
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 2’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Grow food and keep the buzzers away with garlic bulbs! This culinary crop deters pests and insects with its smelly roots and leaves. Brush up against a garlic plant and you’ll smell the fragrance. Garlic’s also perfect for containers, meaning you can plant cloves all over your patio.

Plant garlic at the right time for your local climate, and you’ll experience little growing issues. You’ll typically plant individual cloves during fall or winter, and they’ll sprout from spring through summer. Bury cloves two inches deep in containers and forget about them until warm weather arrives.

Garlic doesn’t produce proper flowers; it produces scapes with tiny cloves called bulbils. Let the scapes flower when they appear for more bulbils, or pluck them off to redirect energy into underground bulb production. Harvest your garlic when the leaves are yellow with drying stems. They’ll dry outside for two weeks before going into long-term storage for six months to a year.

Chives

	botanical name Allium schoenoprasum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-1.5′
	hardiness zones 4-8

Chives are like perennial scallions—they offer small onion leaves year after year, and you never have to dig them up. Simply leave chives in a container, and they’ll ward off bees and wasps with their strong fragrance. This edible pest deterrent works for gardeners in zones four through eight; it’ll sprout reliably each spring.

Chives sprout flowers that bees can access. You’ll want to chop these off before they open to keep insects off your porch. Look for purple blossoms resembling onion flowers. They appear from spring through fall. Snip them off and use them fresh in salads, or soak them in vinegar for a day or two to make chive-flavored vinegar. 

Start chives from seeds, or find potted plants at a nursery near you. Plant both in early spring after your last average frost date. Chives need regular water, good drainage, and full sun to thrive. Grant them these conditions, and they’ll battle insect pests, so you don’t have to!

Bay Leaf

	botanical name Laurus nobilis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 8-12’
	hardiness zones 8-10

A culinary treat, bay leaf trees are the common source of bay leaves you see in grocery stores. Plant one in a container on your patio, and you’ll never have to buy dried leaves again. Not only does this tree grow flavoring foliage, but it also repels bees and insects with its strong scent. 

This tree stays small in containers and works great in hedges from zones eight through ten. It does sprout flowers, meaning you’ll want to cut them off before they open to keep bees away. Keep your tree pruned and remove flowers. Floral scents attract these critters, and getting rid of the scent makes them go away.

Bay leaf plants need free-draining soil and regular water. In freezing zones they need much less water during the winter—wait to irrigate until the soil dries. Keep potted plants out of the rain by placing them under an awning or patio cover. That way you’ve got control over how often these specimens receive moisture.

Eucalyptus

	botanical name Eucalyptus ssp.
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 5-15’ in containers, over 120’ in the ground
	hardiness zones 7-10

A potted eucalyptus tree is a statement piece for the patio. This genus of woody plants originates from Australia, except for the rainbow gum tree native to Malesia and Papuasia. The leaves are incredibly fragrant, and unique in their scent. They have hints of honey, mint, and earthy smells. This layered fragrance repels bees and wasps from entering the area.

Most species of eucalyptus thrive between zones 7 and 10, although the cold-hardy ‘Omeo Gum’ and ‘Snow Gum’ survive down to zone 6. Most species thrive in containers while young, especially smaller types like Omeo gum and spinning gum. Select one you like to look at, and you’ll never get tired of using it in bouquets!

Give all eucalyptus steep drainage and little water. The bigger their rootball, the larger container they’ll need. Eucalyptus are drought tolerant, and they thrive with long days of intense heat. Aim to water them when their soil dries two inches below the surface. Stick your finger or a stick in the dirt to see moisture levels—if it’s wet, hold off on watering. 

Coleus

	botanical name Coleus scutellarioides
	sun requirements Full sun to full shade
	height 6″-3’
	hardiness zones 10-11

Add some color to your porch with coleus cultivars. This ornamental plant has thousands of types with variegated foliage of all colors. Find curly leaf, dwarf, and rainbow-colored ones—choose the type that speaks to you or works well for your garden style. 

Coleus is perennial in zones 10 and 11 and grows as a summer annual elsewhere. It repels bees by growing mostly foliage. Without flowers, there’s nothing to lure these insects in with. Coleus produces some flower spikes, so cut them off before they open to keep these critters further away. They sprout off the top of stems between two leaves; pinch or snip them.

Keep coleus growing annually by taking cuttings in late autumn. Root them in water glasses on a windowsill indoors. Replace their water once a week and wait for spring. You can plant these rooted cuttings outside after your last average frost date. 

Citronella Grass

	botanical name Cymbopogon nardus
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 5-8
	hardiness zones 10-12

This lemongrass relative has way more citronella oil in its leaves than the geranium relative we commonly call the citronella plant. The two citronella plants are this grass, Cymbopogon nardus, and the lacey leaf type Pelargonium graveolens ‘Citrosa.’ Citronella grass may not be as pretty as the geranium, but it has valuable bee-repelling characteristics. 

Citronella grass repels bees when you brush up against the foliage—this action releases the lemony scent in the air, preventing insects from coming closer. The oils from citronella grass are also famous for keeping mosquitoes away.

This grass is perennial in USDA zones 10 through 12, and you can grow it elsewhere as an annual from spring through fall. Give it a large container, as it reaches up to eight feet tall when it’s happy! Cut off flowers as they appear to prevent bees from wandering in during their food search. Cutting the flowers also prevents seeds from spreading into natural areas, as this plant is native to Sri Lanka and not North America—it’s invasive in select states. 

French Tarragon

	botanical name Artemisia dracunculus ‘Sativa’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-3’
	hardiness zones 5-8

An herb in the sunflower family with fragrance to boot, tarragon is perfect for patio containers. Its strong scent deters wasps or bees from entering, keeping insect pests away from your door. It tastes great in dishes and adds a savory, herby flavor to seasoning blends.

Tarragon is closely related to wormwood and shares similar fragrance and structure. Use any plant in the genus Artemisia for pest-deterring success—we recommend French tarragon because it has culinary uses. 

The French variety blooms less often than other species; it still can in favorable conditions. Cut blossoms off before they sprout to keep bees out of your patio. Use dried blooms in flower arrangements, or compost them. Start this perennial in your garden by sowing seeds in spring. Sow them a quarter inch deep in the soil, and water consistently until they sprout.

Garden Pansy

	botanical name Viola x wittrockiana
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 4-9”
	hardiness zones 6-10

Pansies repel bees? Well, not quite. Garden pansies sprout flowers with enlarged double petals. These giant petals block the entrance to the flower, making it impossible for pollinating bees to enter. Plant these around your patio without fear of swarms—those insects will look for other more valuable nectar sources.

Garden pansies come in a huge range of types, colors, and shapes, like coleus plants. They thrive throughout mild winters, excelling in spring with wet weather. With the right conditions, they’ll bloom for four to six months straight! 

Plant garden pansies in containers at least six inches deep. Plant them in the fall for blossoms in late winter or early spring. Early spring plantings give flowers until summer heat warms the soil. Pansies need well-draining soil and consistent moisture. Keep them moist, and they’ll keep blooming!

Begonia

	botanical name Begonia ssp.
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 10-11

Hundreds of begonias fill gardens, nurseries, and landscapes. This genus of plants contains many cultivars that offer little nectar nor pollen for honeybees. There are rex begonias, rhizomatous begonias, and cane begonias, to name a few. Plant these to enjoy colorful blossoms with few insect visits.

Choose trailing begonias for hanging baskets; they’ll spill over the edges with continuous blooms all summer. Although most begonias are perennials in zones 10 and 11, they also thrive in other areas as summer annuals. Bring them inside to keep them growing throughout winter. They make excellent houseplants.

Find begonias at your local nursery or online—there are so many varieties you’ll have a tough time choosing! Select modern garden hybrids, as these types contain the least flower pollen and nectar. Give all begonias shade, consistent moisture, and rich, free-draining soil.  

Garden Peony

	botanical name Paeonia lactiflora
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 18-30”
	hardiness zones 3-8

These are gorgeous perennials with gigantic blooms. Garden peonies are a must-have specimen plant for patios! Cultivars like ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ and ‘Cincinnati’ are perfect for keeping away bees, as they are double-flowering varieties. This means, similarly to garden pansies, the petals block bees from entering the blossom. They can’t access nectar or pollen, and fly off in pursuit of more rewarding flowers. 

Peonies function well in containers. They need pots at least a foot deep, as they go dormant during the winter and take shelter in their roots. Plant peony rootstock two inches below the soil, watering well. It sprouts perennially in spring with warm weather. Cut plants to the ground before your first frost date at summer’s end.