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Squirrels may be fun to watch, but they can cause serious trouble in your garden. From chewing on flowers to digging up soil in search of buried snacks, their behavior can do real damage.
To help protect your plants, we’ve rounded up 12 annual flowers that squirrels typically avoid thanks to their strong scents, bitter taste, or unappealing texture.
Geranium
Geraniums are colorful flowering plants that add beauty to your garden and help repel mosquitoes. Geraniums are easy to care for and grow well in pots or gardens.
Marigold
Marigold plants are bountiful, rich, colorful flowers that can deter squirrels. These hardy flowers are easy to grow and require full sun to bloom.
Incorporating these flowers into your garden bed will beautify your space and help keep squirrels away.
Wishbone Flower (Torenia fournieri)
Wishbone flowers are fragrant annuals that thrive in shade. They’re named for the wishbone-shaped markings often seen on their petals, which can be purple, pink, or white. Squirrels aren’t attracted to this plant, so if you have a problem in the garden, it’s a great annual to grow. These flowers prefer rich, well-drained, and slightly acidic to neutral soil.
Petunia (Petunia × hybrida)
Petunias are prolific bloomers, offering a range of trumpet-shaped flowers in various colors, including purple, pink, white, and red. Their stunning display is great for a colorful summer garden and for keeping squirrels at bay.
They are excellent for containers, hanging baskets, and rock gardens, blooming continuously with regular deadheading. Plant in well-drained soil in a sunny spot for a summer full of vibrant colors and lush growth.
Cleome
Cleome, also known as the spider flower, brings a touch of wild elegance to any garden. Thanks to its strong scent and slightly sticky foliage, cleome is typically left untouched by squirrels.
Snapdragon (Antirrhinum Majus)
Unlike most fast-growing annuals, Snapdragons produce most of their flowers in the cooler months of spring and fall. The tall spikes of tubular flowers come in a range of colors, adding height and interest to your ornamental flower garden.
Snapdragons prefer full sun or partial shade and should be planted in fertile, well-draining soil and watered regularly. They are deer and squirrel-resistant but grow best in zones 4-11.
Lantana
This sun-loving perennial is treated as an annual in cooler climates but is hardy in zones 9-11. Its clusters of small, brightly colored flowers can attract butterflies and hummingbirds while deterring squirrels, making it a perfect addition to any garden.
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Salvia
Salvia plants are known for their spikes of violet, blue, white, or pink flowers. They are drought-tolerant, squirrel-resistant, and prefer full sun.
Calendula
Calendula is a vibrant and cheerful plant that adds a bright touch to any garden. Plant it in early spring to enjoy its vibrant flowers from late spring until early summer.
Calendulas are easy to grow in well-drained soil and thrive in gentle sunlight. They will keep the squirrels, deer, and rabbits away, making them beneficial for protecting vegetable gardens.
Zinnias
Zinnias are a garden classic, and the squirrels will stay far away from this annual. Their bushy plants produce large, colorful flowers in shades of red, orange, and yellow from early summer to fall. They thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, and regular watering helps establish a long season of blooms.
Verbena (Verbena officinalis)
Verbena is a tall, airy plant that can be grown as an annual, perennial, or subshrub. It thrives in rocky, well-drained soils. It prefers full sun and is hardy in USDA zones 7 to 10 (as a perennial) and zones 1 to 6 (as an annual). Verbena’s clusters of purple flowers attract butterflies, discourage squirrels, and add vertical interest to gardens.
Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia Maritime)
Sweet Alyssum is a low-growing plant that produces a carpet of tiny flowers in white, pink, and purple shades. Its strong fragrance attracts insect life that can help keep garden pests at bay.
Sow Sweet Alyssum in well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. It tolerates poor soil and drought well and can be grown in zones 5-11.
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