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Native plants to keep cats out

By Heather Miles

Philotheca, image Heather Miles

A reader asked for plants to discourage cats from entering the garden. The reader’s plants needed to thrive in tough conditions being southerly facing and sandy soil.

Here are the plants suggested by our panel of experts that are thought to be cat repellent, due to the smell of their foliage i.e. attractive to humans but not to animals.

Try the mint bushes e.g. Prostanthera ovalifolia, and other species of mint bush that would be suitable for your area, and maybe available for sale.  Others with fragrant foliage to consider include:

  • Darwinia citriodora, Lemon-scented Myrtle
  • Philotheca myoporoides, Long-leaved Wax Flower
  • Crowea exalata
  • Mentha australis, Native mint
  • Zieria cytisoides, Downy Zieria