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Designing an anti-snake garden

Snakes seek out densely planted areas where they are sure to find food. Low, full plantings of flowers attract rats and mice, which in turn attract snakes.

The key to repelling snakes is to incorporate plants with strong, bitter, or foreign smells. There are three key elements to consider: a snake barrier, a variety of deterrent plants, and a lack of snake food.

Depending on your natural ecosystem, the choice of plants that repel snakes will vary. Regrettably, there is no single plant that will snake-proof your garden. However, when used together correctly, certain plants can be incredibly effective.

Are Snakes Bad for the Garden?

Snakes are actually great for the garden because they control garden pests, like rodents, which can wreck your plants and invade your home. They play a vital role in the ecology, just like owls, but venomous snakes need to be controlled for the sake of human safety. Opting for chemical solutions is not the answer, because these are only useful for a few species of snakes. The world over, gardeners are choosing the organic way which has proven effective for deterring snakes of all species.



Plants that Repel Snakes

Choose from the list below and plant a hedge barrier around the perimeter of your garden.

Marigolds: These pretty flowers are hardy too, and commonly used to deter pests. The roots grow deep and aggressively, giving off a strong odour that repels many garden pests and critters, even moles.




Mother-in-Law’s Tongue: Unlike smelly plants, snakes find the sight of Mother-in-Laws Tongue intimidating. For humans, it is a great-looking plant to have around the garden as a barrier against snakes and is very low maintenance. The plant needs water only three times per week and, being a perennial plant, will last for many years.



Lemongrass: An ideal plant to scare off snakes, as it produces a citrus smell that snakes can’t stand. This should be your number one choice as it repels snakes, mosquitoes, and even ticks. Ideal for our semi-arid country, it can manage a drought , is easy to maintain and an attractive addition to any landscape.

Onion & Garlic: Onions and garlic are very useful garden plants for deterring snakes. Garlic plants give off an oily residue when a snake slithers over a clove. This oil has the same effect as when we slice an onion and is known to be disorienting, like pepper spray.

In conclusion, there is no single plant that will do all the work but, by combining them, you can create a visually attractive but snake-free zone in which to garden, play and live. The aesthetic design, however, is up to you.

Eugene le Roux



AgriTurf: Marco de Wet
Cell: 081 600 9584



Pupkewitz Megabuild:
Eugene le Roux
Horticulturist
Cell: 081 124 6965