The Popular Ground Cover That May Be Attracting Snakes To Your Yard

Clover is an excellent and popular ground cover that can be used for a variety of different reasons. Often confused for a type of grass, clover is actually a legume that can be easier to maintain than a traditional grass lawn. It requires minimal mowing, is very drought tolerant, can outcompete most weeds, and grows wonderful flowers that attract bees and other pollinators. It's also an excellent option for anyone who keeps livestock, as clover is favored by many ruminants. On the other hand, it's not all positive: Did you know that clover could also be attracting snakes to your yard?

While there are snakes of varying danger levels slithering across the globe, more often than not, the ones that you find in your grass are likely beneficial. In fact, you may want snakes in your yard. They are excellent at getting rid of pests like mice, rats, lizards, and more. Still, not everyone wants snakes on their property. So what is it about your clover lawn that they find so attractive?

Well, for one thing, clover attracts the kinds of creatures snakes love to feast on, like rodents and frogs. Another thing is that, because clover grows so thickly, it acts as a perfect shelter for the snakes to hide in for sneak attacks on prey, and also for protection from predators like birds. With natural perks like that, is it any wonder snakes have a fondness for clover?

In general, the fewer places you give snakes to hide and the more you do to mitigate the pests they like to eat, the fewer snakes you will have on your property. However, in terms of ground cover alternatives to clover, there are a few directions you could go to make it less friendly to the snakes. Whichever option you end up choosing, just make sure that it is the best ground cover for your climate conditions.

Snakes do not like rough surfaces such as rock or gravel. You don't have to cover your entire yard in hardscaping, but a good border could help deter the snakes from entering further into your yard. Spiked plants, like holly or cacti, are also good at keeping snakes at bay — though these are not ground covers. For that option, you could try interplanting some strong-smelling herbs or grasses, such as creeping thyme, lemongrass, lavender, mugwort, and alliums, throughout your yard and garden. This is another way to potentially avoid snakes.

Then, of course, you could always just go for whatever grasses are native to your area. You might need to do more mowing, but that action can also help keep snakes away. See, snakes are not fond of exposure. Therefore, the more regularly trimmed your grass is, the less likely are you to see snakes slithering through it.