Squirrels can be tricky guests in the garden, but these 20 annuals have a secret superpower—they keep those cheeky critters away while inviting a whole buzz of pollinators.
I’ve watched my garden come alive with bees and butterflies, all while the squirrels stick to their own adventures. These plants are colorful, lively, and surprisingly easy to care for, making them a win-win.
They bring the buzz without the bother, and that’s a combo I’m all about. If you want a garden full of life without the squirrel drama, this list is just the ticket!
1. Marigolds
The pungent scent that makes marigolds so effective at deterring squirrels comes from their essential oils. These bright orange and yellow blooms emit a strong fragrance that squirrels find offensive, keeping them at bay naturally.
Bees and butterflies, however, are drawn to marigolds’ nectar-rich centers. Plant them as borders around vegetable gardens for maximum protection and pollinator attraction throughout the growing season.
2. Nasturtiums
Featuring spicy-scented foliage and bright, trumpet-shaped blooms, nasturtiums naturally deter squirrels with their peppery aroma. The circular leaves collect morning dew in a way that fascinates children and photographers alike.
Hummingbirds particularly love the nectar hidden deep within nasturtium flowers. As an added bonus, both the flowers and leaves are edible, adding a peppery kick to summer salads while keeping your garden squirrel-free.
3. Daffodils
Containing natural alkaloids that taste bitter to squirrels, daffodils are rarely disturbed once established. Their cheerful yellow trumpets announce spring’s arrival while their bulbs remain safely underground, avoided by even the hungriest garden pests.
Early-season pollinators depend on daffodils when few other nectar sources exist. Plant them in drifts for maximum visual impact and pollinator benefit, creating waves of color that return year after year with minimal maintenance.
4. Alliums
Strong-smelling and visually striking, alliums produce perfect spheres of tiny star-shaped flowers atop tall stems. Their onion-family scent naturally repels squirrels while creating architectural interest in garden beds.
Bees absolutely adore allium blooms, often covering the flower heads completely during peak bloom. The dried seed heads provide winter interest and bird food long after the flowers fade, extending their garden value through multiple seasons.
5. Geraniums
The strong citronella-like scent of geranium leaves makes them naturally unappealing to squirrels and other garden pests. Available in a rainbow of colors, these hardy annuals thrive in containers or beds with minimal care.
Hummingbirds frequently visit geranium blooms, especially the red varieties. The plants’ ability to withstand heat and drought makes them perfect for sunny spots where other flowers might struggle, providing reliable color and pollinator support all summer.
6. Snapdragons
Featuring uniquely shaped blooms that snap open when squeezed, snapdragons contain compounds that squirrels find distasteful. Their vertical growth habit adds architectural interest to garden beds while taking up minimal ground space.
Bumblebees are specially adapted to access snapdragon nectar, forcing the hinged flowers open with their weight. Plant these colorful spires in groups for maximum visual impact and to create bustling pollinator highways throughout your garden beds.
7. Hyacinths
Emitting a powerful fragrance that humans love but squirrels avoid, hyacinths create dramatic spring color while naturally protecting themselves. Their densely packed flower spikes contain alkaloids that taste bitter to rodents, preventing bulb damage.
Early-emerging bees depend on hyacinth nectar when food sources are scarce. Plant them near entrances and pathways to enjoy their intoxicating scent while creating crucial early-season pollinator habitat that keeps garden visitors buzzing with appreciation.
8. Zinnias
Sporting daisy-like blooms in every color imaginable, zinnias produce a subtle scent that squirrels find unappealing. Their long, sturdy stems make them perfect for cutting gardens while their prolific blooming habit ensures continuous color.
Butterflies flock to zinnias in remarkable numbers, sometimes creating living bouquets of wings. The flat, accessible flower shape provides perfect landing pads for pollinators of all sizes, making zinnias among the most butterfly-friendly annuals you can plant.
9. Petunias
Producing sticky foliage that squirrels avoid touching, petunias create cascades of trumpet-shaped flowers perfect for hanging baskets and borders. Their slightly tacky leaves collect dust and debris that squirrels find unpleasant, creating a natural defense system.
Hummingbirds and sphinx moths regularly visit petunia blooms, especially at dusk. The flowers’ tubular shape perfectly accommodates their long feeding apparatus, creating spectacular pollination displays that garden enthusiasts eagerly await each summer evening.
10. Lavender
Beloved for its calming scent, lavender’s intense fragrance effectively masks the smell of other plants squirrels might target. The aromatic oils that make lavender so appealing to humans and pollinators actively repel rodents and other garden pests.
Bees become almost drunk with delight when visiting lavender blooms. Plant this Mediterranean native in the sunniest, driest spot in your garden for best results, creating a fragrant, squirrel-free zone that buzzes with beneficial insects all summer long.
11. Salvia
Featuring aromatic foliage and vibrant spikes of tubular flowers, salvias contain compounds that squirrels actively avoid. Their minty scent creates an invisible barrier that protects neighboring plants while adding sensory interest to garden beds.
Hummingbirds find salvia irresistible, often establishing territories around large plantings. The tubular flowers perfectly match hummingbird beaks, creating a specialized relationship that brings these flying jewels within inches of delighted observers throughout the growing season.
12. Cosmos
Feathery foliage and daisy-like blooms give cosmos an airy, delicate appearance that belies their squirrel-repelling properties. The fine, ferny leaves contain compounds that squirrels find distasteful, keeping them away from these prolific bloomers.
Bees and butterflies flock to cosmos in droves throughout summer and fall. Their open flower centers provide easy access to pollen and nectar, creating perfect refueling stations for pollinators of all types until the first frost.
13. Sunflowers
Despite squirrels’ love for harvested sunflower seeds, growing plants produce compounds that actually deter these garden pests. The hairy stems and leaves create physical barriers squirrels dislike touching, protecting developing flower heads until they mature.
Bees become covered in pollen when visiting sunflower centers, making them super-efficient pollinators. Plant a succession of different-sized varieties for continuous blooms that support native bees, honeybees, and butterflies throughout the growing season.
14. Dahlias
Producing tubers that contain bitter compounds, dahlias naturally protect themselves from squirrel damage. Their spectacular blooms range from dinner-plate size to tiny pom-poms, creating dramatic garden focal points that remain untouched by pests.
Bees become absolutely mesmerized by open-centered dahlia varieties. The complex flower structures provide multiple feeding opportunities, with different pollinators specializing in different parts of the bloom for maximum efficiency and mutual benefit.
15. Lantana
Containing aromatic compounds in both flowers and foliage, lantana naturally repels squirrels and other garden pests. The clusters of tiny, tubular flowers change color as they age, creating multicolored umbels that add visual interest to any garden space.
Butterflies consider lantana among their favorite nectar sources, often competing for access to the flower clusters. Heat-loving and drought-tolerant, these prolific bloomers provide reliable pollinator support even during the hottest summer days when other plants have stopped flowering.
16. Sweet Alyssum
Creating a honey-scented carpet that squirrels avoid crossing, sweet alyssum serves as both barrier and pollinator magnet. The tiny flowers produce an intense fragrance that masks the scent of bulbs and seeds squirrels might otherwise detect and dig up.
Hoverflies particularly love alyssum’s accessible nectar, laying eggs nearby so their larvae can feast on garden aphids. This dual-purpose annual not only deters squirrels but also supports beneficial insects that provide natural pest control throughout the growing season.
17. Calendula
Often called pot marigold, calendula produces resinous stems and leaves that squirrels find sticky and unpleasant. The bright orange and yellow blooms add cheerful color while their slightly medicinal scent creates an invisible pest barrier.
Small native bees particularly favor calendula’s pollen-rich centers. As an added benefit, the edible petals add color to salads and teas, making calendula a triple-threat garden addition that repels pests, supports pollinators, and enhances culinary creations.
18. Cleome
Nicknamed “spider flower” for its unique bloom structure, cleome produces a sticky substance on stems and seed pods that squirrels avoid. The unusual flowers feature long stamens that extend beyond the petals, creating architectural interest that draws garden visitors.
Hummingbirds and sphinx moths make special trips to visit cleome’s nectar-rich blooms. Self-seeding readily without becoming invasive, these tall annuals create dramatic backdrop plantings that return year after year with minimal gardener intervention.
19. Nicotiana
Related to tobacco, flowering nicotiana contains natural pest-repelling compounds that effectively deter squirrels. The star-shaped flowers release their sweet fragrance primarily in evening hours, creating a magical sensory experience as dusk falls.
Sphinx moths with their incredible hovering ability are primary pollinators of nicotiana. Plant these elegant flowers near patios and evening gathering spaces to enjoy their perfume while watching the spectacular pollination ballet performed by these remarkable nocturnal visitors.
20. Verbena
Producing clusters of tiny flowers with a distinctly bitter taste, verbena naturally protects itself from squirrel damage. The flat-topped bloom clusters provide perfect landing platforms for butterflies while the bitter compounds keep garden pests at bay.
Monarch butterflies particularly favor verbena nectar during their famous migration. The long-blooming habit ensures continuous flower production from early summer until frost, creating reliable refueling stations for pollinators throughout the growing season.