The beauty you’ve worked so hard to create outdoors can easily be turned into gorgeous wall art, all for a fraction of the cost of decor store prints. And all you need is one good digital photo of the one-of-a-kind subject matter right outside your backdoor! Whether you have an expensive multi-lens camera or a simple smart phone, you can freeze frame that beauty with just a couple clicks. Getting a good shot doesn’t require advanced skills. Just remember these simple garden photography basics:
Look at the subject matter with an artistic eye. Instead of trying to capture the entire floral arrangement, select by color (for example, capture how the colors blend together or contrast within one flower); look at the different forms of the plant (try a Celosia Comb Mix for some interesting shapes); or look for seasonality (shoot the same tree in all four seasons.) Sometimes just one part of the flower – such as the interior pistil – makes a fantastic shot.
Frame your subject. Look at the area around or behind your subject – is it cluttered with furniture, parked cars, flagpoles, or downspouts? Move your shooting position to avoid these distractions. Flowers look very artistic when shot from close-up and this will help eliminate the “background noise.” Most computers have a basic photo-editing program to crop photos or add text.
Play with lighting. Take photos under different light conditions or at varying times of day. Shoot from multiple angles so the light falls differently on the subject matter. Play with photo-editing settings to adjust the lighting effects or even make it monochrome or black-and-white.
Take your time. Spend a chunk of time watching the activity in your garden and you’ll eventually notice birds, butterflies, and bees that stop by. These make great shots – just use your “sports” mode and snap a bunch as they flit around the blooms. (And by the way, sitting in your garden is a great stress reliever!).
Little Gardener’s Tip: Now this might turn out to be a tear-jerker – but wouldn’t it be neat to have a yearly photo of your kids growing up? Start this year with a new tree, take a photo with the kids next to the tree, and repeat every year. Twenty years from now you’ll be amazed by how each has grown!
All that hard work you’ve put into your flowerbeds, planters, and patio pots really deserves a spotlight, don’t you think? From candles to strings of light to unique solar light stakes, creative outdoor lighting can turn your patio into a warm and welcoming extension of your living room. And you don’t need to be an electrician to turn on the lights! It’s easy and inexpensive to light up every nook and cranny of your garden and enjoy your yard long past sundown.
Lighting is not just for edging a walkway or illuminating a back step, use it to lighten up dark corners, showcase special plants, add interest to potted arrangements, or create mood lighting in seating areas. Be sure to choose outdoor-safe lighting with approved UL-cords and never bury extension cords underground or place under pots or rugs. Try these bright ideas to lighten up your spaces:
Place staked solar lights in planters, flowerboxes, hanging baskets, or mixed in with foundation plantings.
Use glow-in-the-dark spray paint on rocks and place around your garden or line your walkway. You could also paint your pots or planters with glow-in-the-dark designs. Most craft stores and home stores sell both tube and spray glow-in-the-dark paint.
Loop white “Christmas lights” from tree branches, over your bushes, or drape along your deck railing. Or create your own outdoor light fixture by balling up the string and placing in an old-fashioned metal colander so the light shines through in an interesting pattern.
Remove the stake and place the solar light top into a thrift shop chandelier or hanging light fixture and hang from a tree, pergola, or shepherd’s hook.
Combine mosquito-repellent candles with your favorite collections or line your deck stairs for an evening party that’s bug-free. Browse our essential oils candle collection here.
Fill a large urn, tub, or bowl with colored water and float candles and flower petals to create a romantic centerpiece.
Play “Flashlight Tag” or “Ghost in the Graveyard” with the kids. It’s a great workout and guaranteed fun!
Little Gardener’s Tip: A solar-powered light makes a great nightlight. Put in a sunny window each morning and it will be charged and gently glowing by bedtime. And, of course, will protect your little ones from monsters under the bed!
Did you know mosquitoes are the deadliest animal on Earth?
One mosquito bite can spread deadly disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that every year, mosquitoes infect 200 million people with malaria and kill another 3 million. Every year. Tens of millions more suffer the debilitating and often fatal effects of other mosquito-borne diseases. These are sobering statistics and many have turned to toxic chemicals to control these mosquito populations. While this works to kill mosquitoes, it’s also known to cause cancer and other side effects. In poor Third World countries these methods are out of reach because they are so expensive yet these are the areas suffering the most. Because of this crisis, researchers started looking for non-chemical control methods . . . and they found it! The common flowering plant, Lantana Camara, repelled mosquitoes and protected people from these dangerous diseases.
A natural mosquito control method proven to repel mosquitoes.
Gorgeous flower that mosquitoes hate but hummingbirds love.
Research published in the Journal PLoS ONE (Public Library of Science) gives scientific proof that Lantana works to deter mosquitoes – specifically those known to carry malaria in Africa. Researchers were focused on finding a lower-cost mosquito control alternative to bednets or insecticidal indoor spraying. The hopes of the study was to find a method that would be simple to install and maintain, be cost effective, and would provide broad protection from dangerous disease-carrying mosquitoes. Several mosquito-repellent plants were considered but lantana was ultimately selected because of its “size and vigor, year round growth, and known repellency towards the African malaria vector Anopheles gambiae s.s.” Not only does the smell deter mosquitos, but those that do feed from the flowers have shorter lives and diminished reproductive success.
By the end of the study, researchers had data from 231 houses with lantana screens and 90 houses without. Those with well-growing screens (some reached as high as the home’s eaves) had significantly less mosquitos caught in traps compared to the non-lantana homes. (Full study can be found here).
Can Lantana be used here for the same purpose?
Lantana grows big and beautiful all summer long.
Sometimes called Yellow Sage or Shrub Verbena, common Lantana has been a popular bedding plant for decades and is the go-to plant for many gardeners. Its lovely verbena-shaped blossoms emerge in multiple color combinations of pink, red, yellow, orange, and purple which last all summer long and make it an outstanding container or foundation plant. The medium green, leathery leaves grow in an upright and sturdy pattern and this plant has the outstanding ability to thrive in nearly all growing conditions especially poor soil, hot sun, and prolonged heat. Deer and other critters dislike the taste and smell but butterflies and hummingbirds love it so you’ll attract beneficial insects to your garden. Planted as a “mosquito fence” around high-traffic and outdoor living spaces, it really does help you better enjoy your precious outside time.
Kids & Pets Alert!: After flowering, some cultivars will produce a berrylike fruit which turns black when mature. These berries are poisonous to pets and humans. If you have curious little fingers or animals, plant in an area they can’t reach or trim off the berry clusters when they first appear in their green stage.
How to use Lantana to repel mosquitoes in your garden.
Planting this gorgeous plant really is as simple as making space for it in all your gardens. Place it near high-use areas such as decks, patios, and entryways – rub or crush the leaves as you walk by and they’ll give off a citronella scent. Cut sprigs to add to bouquets for super repelling power. Leaves can be dried by laying out in the sun for a few days, then crushed, and burned in a glass jar to repel mosquitos. It is not recommended to rub this plant on your skin as it can lead to irritation. Combine with other mosquito repellent plants such as Citronella Geranium and Lemongrass in a deck planter for a real show-stopper that will smell heavenly all summer long. Plant en masse along the edge of your patio or doorways. Fill a windowbox with multiple colors and enjoy the hummingbirds coming right up to your window.
Start growing your Goodbye Mosquito Garden today!
The possibilities are endless but the supply of Lantana is not! With the renewed interest in its mosquito-control abilities, these plants are flying off the shelves so don’t wait to order! Besides, the sooner you plant them, the bigger they’ll get to fend off those pesky mosquitoes. When you order from Clovers Garden, we’ll include a handy planting instruction sheet so you’ll have everything you need to start. If you’d like to start reading up now on Lantana and all the other plants that work to repel mosquitoes, click here to join our gardening community and we’ll send you an email with a free ebook, Mosquito Repellent Plants. This great book has tons of planting info, recipes for making your own natural bug spray from the plants’ leaves, and even five original garden designs such as the one shown in this article. And you’ll get it FREE just for subscribing to our newsletter.
These plants can be planted up until first frost (or year round for Southern gardeners) and they only get fuller and more lush as the season goes on. Shop the full collection here.
If you have any questions about gardening with mosquito repellent plants, we’ll be happy to answer them. Just comment here — we check posts often. Thanks for reading and Happy Gardening!
The beauty you’ve worked so hard to create outdoors can easily be turned into gorgeous wall art, all for a fraction of the cost of decor store prints. And all you need is one good digital photo of the one-of-a-kind subject matter right outside your backdoor! Whether you have an expensive multi-lens camera or a simple smart phone, you can freeze frame that beauty with just a couple clicks. Getting a good shot doesn’t require advanced skills. Just remember these simple garden photography basics:
Take your time. Spend a chunk of time watching the activity in your garden and you’ll eventually notice birds, butterflies, and bees that stop by. These make great shots – just use your “sports” mode and snap a bunch as they flit around the blooms. (And by the way, sitting in your garden is a great stress reliever!).
All that hard work you’ve put into your flowerbeds, planters, and patio pots really deserves a spotlight, don’t you think? From candles to strings of light to unique solar light stakes, creative outdoor lighting can turn your patio into a warm and welcoming extension of your living room. And you don’t need to be an electrician to turn on the lights! It’s easy and inexpensive to light up every nook and cranny of your garden and enjoy your yard long past sundown.
