Muggles " writes:

We've recently cleaned up our back yard and spread some pea gravel where
no grass will grow. It was always muddy when it would rain, so we gave
up and just weeded the sparse grass down that did come up along with any
weeds. The pea gravel looks nice in the path, but today we found a good
size garter snake right in the middle of the gravel sunning itself.
I've read they like to do that sort of thing, but now I'm not so sure if
it's such a good thing, although we let it go in the back part of the yard.

I'm wondering if the warm pea gravel attracted the slithering creature.
I've read conflicting information on whether or not they're venomous.
Has anyone had problems with such snakes causing problems, or are they
ok and mind their own business.

They are not a problem.
Just saw one near my garage.
I just used a broom to send it away.

I don't know why they sometimes seek open spaces,
it's like asking to be eaten by larger birds, raccoons, cats.

--
Dan Espen