The Gorgeous And Fragrant Plant That May Be Attracting Snakes To Your Garden

Sometimes snakes get a bad rap. There are over 150 different kinds in the U.S., and 90% of them are harmless. In fact, many are pretty good at pest control, eating slugs, snails, insects, and other unwanted garden guests. Okay, there are a half dozen snakes you don't want to see in your yard, but the majority won't be any trouble.

Nevertheless, it's understandable that most people would rather not attract the slithery creatures into their garden. Your 4-year-old probably doesn't know the difference between a harmless garter snake and a lethal copperhead. Nor does your dog. Unfortunately, there's one gorgeous and fragrant plant that might be attracting them, and it will probably come as something of a surprise. It's long been a favorite, and some would argue you couldn't design and plant the perfect cottage garden without it. Its botanical name is Lonicera, but it's perhaps better known as honeysuckle. Now, it's not the only plant snakes are drawn to, but luckily, there are also plants you can use to keep snakes out of your yard. 

There are two problems with honeysuckle. First, the heady scent attracts insects, and a whole bunch of different snakes like to feed off of them. Second, many of these slippery serpents are ambush predators, and the dense growth gives a perfect place to hide and wait. It also gives them somewhere to shelter from animals that would eat them, such as birds of prey, owls, bobcats, raccoons, and opossums.

Jasmine is another plant that, like honeysuckle, has a strong perfume and dense growth. Anything that creates areas of thick cover, like hostas and clover, can also be attractive to snakes. Long grass is another favorite, as are some of the eco-friendly alternatives to a traditional lawn. If snakes are a potential problem in your region, then careful choice of what you grow is among a number of foolproof ways to stop snakes slithering around your yard. That said, if snakes aren't usually an issue where you live, it's highly unlikely that growing honeysuckle, jasmine, or hostas will make any difference.

Yellow alder, pink agapanthus, and marigolds could be introduced to your borders to add vibrant color and discourage snakes from visiting. Snakes don't like strong smells, so onions and garlic in veg beds will deter them, too. You can also grow herbs like rosemary, lemongrass, and basil. Although it's attractive to pollinators, snakes don't like lavender for its smell. They aren't keen on cactuses either. So, while there are some gorgeous and fragrant plants you may want to avoid growing in the garden for fear of attracting snakes, there are plenty you can introduce that could have the opposite effect.