As October rolls around, the garden begins to shift with cooler temperatures and shorter days.
This time of year, plants start preparing for dormancy, but there are still some things happening beneath the surface—including wildlife activity.
One type of creature that often starts seeking refuge in gardens during this time is snakes.
Snakes are naturally drawn to environments that provide both food and shelter, and certain plants are more likely to attract them than others.
If you’ve noticed snakes in your garden or you want to avoid them, knowing which plants tend to draw them in can help you manage your landscape more effectively.
I’ve been gardening for years, and while most of the snakes I’ve encountered are harmless, it’s still a bit unsettling to come across one when you’re not expecting it.
In October, snakes are starting to look for a place to hunker down before the cold sets in, and your garden might offer just what they need.
In this article, we’ll explore seven garden plants that can attract snakes in October.
These plants provide shelter, moisture, or food sources that make your garden more appealing to snakes as they prepare for winter.
1. Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental grasses like Miscanthus are a popular choice in many gardens due to their graceful, flowing appearance and low maintenance requirements.
However, these tall, dense grasses can also be a perfect hideout for snakes.
Snakes are drawn to the cool, sheltered environment that tall grasses create, especially as they seek warmth in the cooler months of October.
I planted Miscanthus around my garden beds one year, and I soon noticed an uptick in garter snakes in the area.
The dense growth provided excellent cover, and snakes would slither through the grasses unnoticed, staying cool and hidden from predators.
If you have large ornamental grasses in your garden, you might notice snakes making themselves at home beneath the tall stalks, where they can find insects and small rodents to eat as well.
2. Boxwood
Boxwood is a popular shrub used to create tidy, well-formed hedges, but it also happens to be a snake magnet.
Snakes love the dense, low-to-the-ground branches that provide both shelter and protection.
The thick foliage creates a cool, shady environment that snakes use to hide from both predators and extreme weather.
I have boxwoods lining the front of my house, and while they’re great for creating a formal look in the garden, I’ve also seen more than a few snakes curled up beneath their dense foliage.
They seem to be particularly attracted to the cooler areas under the shrubs in October as they start to settle down for the winter.
If you have boxwoods in your garden, be cautious when working around them in the fall, as snakes might be hiding beneath the thick leaves, seeking warmth and safety.
3. Lavender
Lavender is known for its beautiful purple blooms and calming fragrance, but it also has a way of attracting snakes.
While lavender itself doesn’t draw snakes, the insects it attracts—like bees and butterflies—can bring snakes into your garden.
Snakes are natural predators of small creatures like insects, and they tend to follow their prey.
One year, I noticed a small snake basking near my lavender plants in October.
It was likely drawn to the insects buzzing around the flowers, making it a prime hunting spot.
The dry, sandy soil that lavender thrives in also offers snakes a warm and dry environment as the weather cools.
While lavender is a wonderful plant to have in the garden, be mindful that it might also be inviting some unwanted guests as the season winds down.
4. Echinacea
Echinacea, or coneflowers, are popular perennials known for their striking flowers and their ability to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.
However, those same pollinators can also attract snakes looking for an easy meal.
Insects are a food source for many snake species, and echinacea’s ability to draw in a wide variety of insects can make it a hot spot for snake activity.
I’ve always loved growing echinacea in my garden, but I’ve also noticed that snakes tend to frequent the area around these flowers.
Especially in October, when the weather starts to cool, the snakes seem to be taking advantage of the last burst of insect activity before winter.
While echinacea is a great plant for pollinators, keep in mind that it can also bring snakes into your garden, especially if you live in an area where snakes are common.
5. Ajuga
Ajuga, also known as bugleweed, is a dense ground cover that’s often used to fill in shady areas of the garden.
Its thick, spreading growth makes it an ideal hiding spot for snakes, especially as the temperatures begin to drop in October.
Snakes are drawn to ground cover plants like ajuga because they offer protection from predators and provide a moist environment that snakes prefer.
I planted ajuga in a shady corner of my garden to help control erosion, but I quickly noticed that it also became a favorite hangout for snakes.
They love to hide under the thick foliage, where they can stay cool and avoid detection.
Ajuga’s dense, low-growing leaves create the perfect environment for snakes to hunt insects and small rodents, making it an attractive spot for them to settle down in the fall.
6. Blueberries
Blueberry bushes, with their low, dense growth and delicious fruit, can also attract snakes to your garden.
While snakes aren’t interested in the berries themselves, they are attracted to the small animals that come to feed on the fruit—such as birds, rodents, and insects.
I’ve noticed this in my own garden during the blueberry harvest season.
While picking the last of the berries in October, I once encountered a small garter snake nestled under the bushes.
It was likely there hunting for the small creatures that were drawn to the fallen fruit.
Blueberry bushes provide a cool, shaded area where snakes can hide and hunt, making them a natural attraction for these creatures in the fall.
7. Mulched Flower Beds
While not technically a plant, mulched flower beds can be a big draw for snakes.
Mulch helps retain moisture and keep the soil cool, which is exactly what snakes are looking for as the weather cools down in October.
Mulched areas also tend to attract insects and small rodents, which are a primary food source for many snake species.
I learned this lesson the hard way when I laid down a fresh layer of mulch around my flower beds one fall.
Not long after, I started noticing more snakes around the garden.
They were likely drawn by the moisture and the easy access to prey living in the mulch.
If you’ve heavily mulched your garden beds, be aware that snakes may be more attracted to these areas in October as they seek shelter and food before winter.
Final Thoughts
As October brings cooler temperatures, many snakes begin searching for places to shelter and hunt in preparation for winter.
Your garden, with its diverse plant life and natural cover, can become an appealing spot for snakes to settle in.
From tall ornamental grasses and dense shrubs like boxwood to flowering plants like lavender and echinacea, the plants you choose can play a big role in attracting snakes to your garden.
In my years of gardening, I’ve learned that while snakes can be surprising to come across, they also provide important benefits, like keeping pest populations in check.
However, if you’re not a fan of snakes in your garden, knowing which plants and features are attracting them is the first step in managing the situation.
Whether you’re looking to attract snakes for their pest control benefits or you’d prefer to keep them away, understanding the types of plants that draw them in will help you create a garden that fits your needs.
So, as you prepare your garden for the colder months, take a look at these seven plants and decide if they’re drawing in more snakes than you’d like—or if they’re helping maintain a healthy balance in your garden ecosystem.