Cats are known to “run a mile” from a so-called “scaredy cat plant”, making it an ideal addition to gardens, reported The Mirror.

Whether a fan of felines or not, cats can cause chaos in your garden, especially heading into spring.

If you’re fed up with your lovely flowers being used as a toilet, or constantly finding dead mice on your lawn – you might want to consider some deterrents.

Some gardeners place chicken wire flat on the ground before planting a flower bed, as cats find it uncomfortable to walk over.

However, there’s a much easier way to keep your garden cat-free, using a herb known as the “scaredy cat plant”.

Experts have said that felines will “run a mile” from it but it won’t harm them in any way.

Suzanne Hall from LoveTheGarden suggested mothballs are often recommended to deter cats – but they’re highly toxic and could be harmful to children.

Instead, she encouraged gardeners to plant Coleus Canina.

She noted: “This strong-smelling herb is said to repel many animals, including cats.

“However, it also doesn’t smell very nice to humans, especially when it’s disturbed, so it’s probably best for quieter areas of the garden.”

You can buy Coleus Canina in seed or plant form from various retailers and garden centres, but Britons might have to wait until the weather gets better.

For instance, Dobbies is selling six “jumbo plug plants” for £12.99 online – but they won’t be sent out until the end of April.

Planting lavender and rosemary can also help to deter animals such as foxes and rats.

Hall also suggested adding ground black pepper to hot water in a spray bottle and spritzing your plants.

Many people praised the advice in the comments section, with one person saying: “[I] want to order all of those plants as my neighbour has got five cats and [they’re] always lurking about and making a mess on my grass and conifers.”

Another said: “Thank you very much for your advice, I will try them!”. Another joked that the best solution is to “buy a dog”.