(This is a cross post to rec.gardens and sci.med. Set the follow-up
(line in the header, depending on what kind of advice you give, or
(e-mail directly to me: ceci@lysator.liu.se.)

I have a problem with wasps -- they seem to love me. Last summer I
couldn't spend more than ten to fifteen minutes at a time in my garden
before one or several wasps would come for me. I am asking for advice
on how to repel wasps.

   This year the wasps have built their nest under a stone next to one
of my tiny ponds. The caretaker (poor fellow!) will have to take care
of them, and that will give me a head start on them. Last year we
couldn't find any nest. Even after the caretaker has gassed the nest
in my tiny garden of 30 square meter, other wasps will most likely vie
for the territory. Is there anything I can grow, rub on my skin or
spread on the soil that will repel the black and yellow bastards?
Never mind if it turns my skin purple or kills off all my beloved
plants, I want to be able to spend time in my garden like everyone
else.

   Would it help to remove the ponds and the bird bath? The wasps seem
to come to drink at them, and I suppose that their prey will breed in
them. The black tits seem to be afraid of the wasps, because as soon
as the wasp season starts, they stop coming to have their bath.

Even when I am not trying to win back my patio from 15-20 wasps, they
seem to love me. The advice I usually get when I ask what to do about
wasps, is to stand still and not wave my arms. I've got some painful
stings when trying to follow that advice. I have also tried to use
hygienic products without perfumes, to no avail. They still love me,
and come for me, even when I'm in the middle of a crowd. So far only
two things seem to work: To kill it dead or to run into the house and
close all doors and windows. 

NB: I don't have a problem with bees or bumble-bees, just wasps.
    Patronizing advice redirected to /dev/null.

--Ceci