Susan is a passionate, ecologically focused, and experienced professional garden designer. Since childhood, she’s played, healed, and created in gardens. Early years were spent playing in nature, a beloved creative play space. Influenced by Rachel Carson’s environmental awareness book ‘Silent Spring’ in her early teens, a lifelong passion for environmental stewardship was seeded.

She received her Master’s in Landscape Studies while operating her solopreneur landscape design firm. As an active volunteer and community leader in Pittsburgh’s botanical community, she chaired the Pittsburgh Great Gardens Competition (a joint venture of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette newspaper and Pittsburgh Botanical Gardens) for 4 years. Also served as a judge, garden guide, and garden consultant.

Enjoy the Garden gallery. Find designs, ideas, plant choices or inspirations from Susan’s gallery. Categories include: Walls, Paths, Steps & Terraces; Water; Features & Elements; and Designs & Plantings.

Susan selectively designs and consults with clients on small and large properties. To inquire, please email susan@intentionalgrowth.org.