Snake in the Hedge
While working at client gardens, I often run into different wildlife. Admittedly, mostly birds and butterflies and squirrels, but once in a while a toad or a snake.
There is this one garden in Mississauga, not far from Lake Ontario, where they have a 9 foot length of very dense Euonymous hedging. I like to keep this hedging neatly trimmed, and that process begins in late spring, when it has begun to put forth new growth.
I like to use hand hedge trimmers, rather than electric ones, because I prefer the scissor action from the blades. This is fortunate since otherwise I might hurt the snake when I encountered it.
It was a very pleasant, sunny and warm day in May, and I had finished half the hedge when I detected a movement just in front of me. I looked more carefully, thinking a bird might be in there, and what I saw was this really grouchy looking snakeface staring at me.
Of course I had to stop and take photos, I mean, seriously, wouldn’t anyone?
The snake remained ensconced in the hedge, in spite of being stared and and photographed, although at one point it hissed at me, but thenb simply settled back into the leaves, obviously planning to continue enjoying the warmth.
I finished trimming the hedge the following week, first checking for Snakeys’ presence. Luckily it was hiding somewhere and would not be endangered by my clippers.
On and off, I would see the snake in that same area. I think it must have lived under one of the large landscape rocks below the hedge. These are piled in layers and there are plenty of crevices into which a skinny little garteer snake could hide.
I welcomed the sight of the snake because they are very beneficial to have in the garden. I was glad my clients felt the same way.
Note:
Garter snakes can help to reduce insect and rodent pests in your garden.
