Scary, although to be expected if you live in a climate that supports venomous snakes. It's always unfortunate to kill wildlife and should always be avoided unless of course, the animal poses a direct threat. The only thing I could recommend to you would be to clear out all the tall grasses, stone/rock piles, brushy/leafy areas or anything that would be attractive habitat or hiding places for snakes as well as anything that is habitat for what snakes like to eat. This means you may have to have a more manicured garden and sacrifice some of its wild beauty in exchange for personal safety.