Herbs
Naturally repel mosquitoes and fleas [1]
It looks like I should consider growing
- Lemon balm (see wp:Melissa officinalis) and also
- marigolds
- lavendar
- peppermint
Citronella
--scented.
Catnip
Studies suggest that catnip may be even more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET (the ingredient used in most commercial bug repellents, which is highly toxic). It also repels cockroaches, an attribute that many of us living in urban areas can certainly appreciate. It can be used similarly to lemon balm; crushed and rubbed onto the skin. A word of caution to cat owners: watch where you plant your catnip! Your cat may want to roll around on it and play with it. Plant catnip apart from the rest of your garden so your cat doesn't accidentally damage any other plants nearby.
Marigolds
Lavender
Peppermint
Biting bugs don't like the scent of peppermint, so you can crush up the leaves and rub it on your skin to ward them off. As an added bonus, peppermint also can also do double-duty as itch relief if you do get bitten!
Data
http://www.theplantlist.org/ is an official list of all plant species
