My daughter in Utah has a big terraced bed/retaining wall made of railway ties. She says last summer they repeatedly saw several garter snakes on or near this bed and she wondered why. They're not worried about it, just curious.

I said it's usually due to a food source, or a good place to hide. No idea what they eat but I sure hope it's snails . . . ?

They eat slugs! Run out and take the shells off your snails...
They also eat insects, lizards, my cute little baby toads and any other protein source they can overpower.

Woo hoo thx Greene! There are lots of small slugs in evidence too.

I am about to plant that bed with perennials so let's hope the snakes are not still hibernating.

Yup...I've watched them eat frogs, salamanders, crickets, slugs and a host of other smallish invertebrates.

If she keeps seeing them early in the day it a spot that gets great early sunlight they may just like the spot to warm themselves in the mornings. Garter snakes, and many other snakes like to lie out in the sun early in the day to help get them moving since they are cold-blooded. They have a fairly limited individual range and they often nest very close to the areas you see them in, so there is probably some prime snake-estate in the area of that raised bed.

Not that I spoil my local snakes or anything, but have you considered placing a lovely flat 'sunning' stone in a place that gets the sun early in the day?

Hmm, that raised bed actually doesn't get any sun until almost noon. So more likely they are living close by. Did a big weeding in there today, no snakes but lots of snails, little beige slugs and ants.

I grow vegetables in hay bales and have seen a garter snake for the past 3 years when I go out to water. He made his first appearance of the year today. I don't know if its the same one but it seems to be about the same size each time...I wondered if they like water, otherwise there doesn't seem to be much reason to hang around the bales.

I would imagine there are mice around those hay bales & of course, a garter snake would like to get a nice mouse for dinner.

Right plus the generous water you need to grow veggies in hay bales would attract worms, slugs, snails and many other snake delicacies I'm guessing.

I'm thinking roly-poly pill bugs are delicious.