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The following actions will make your garden much less attractive to reptiles:
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Mow grass regularly to keep it short.
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Remove shrubs and other plants that provide cover at ground level.
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Remove features that provide reptiles with hiding places, such as rockeries, debris, woodpiles, and boards. If you need to retain a wood pile raise it above the ground by 30 cm (1 ft), for instance by placing it on a rack.
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Remove compost heaps and grass cutting piles, or maintain them in sealed bins.
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Putting a wall or close-fitting fence around the pond can help by reducing snake access, but this will cause problems for other wildlife (and people) accessing the pond. Make sure you consider the safety aspects of this fully. In extreme cases you might consider filling in your pond (note: this is only likely to dissuade grass snakes, but it is a drastic solution as other wildlife will suffer; see Further reading).
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Snakes cannot dig, but will use existing holes, so fill in any holes or crevices where reptiles can hide (look at: house footings, under the shed, patios, walls and the ground itself). Only fill in holes when they are not occupied.
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You may also need to ask neighbours to take similar action. Experience shows that the above steps really can result in a major reduction in snake visits. However, it is very difficult to entirely prevent snakes or lizards entering your garden. A more thorough solution is to erect a special fence around your garden. It should be at least 60 cm (2 ft) high, dug into the ground, and carefully sealed to leave no gaps. You can do this by attaching hard-wearing, ultra-violet resistant plastic sheeting (from a builders’ merchant) to an existing fence. Alternatively a free-standing fence can be constructed by using stakes to support the sheeting. A low brick wall could also work.
Important note: these steps will also reduce the overall value of your garden for wildlife, so deciding on a sensible balance is up to you.
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