Welcome to Modern Agriculture!
Hi GPODers!
Every time I see a Garden Photo of the Day post, I’m drawn to Sue Hughes’ (@simplesue) encouraging words. In a world where negative comments often dominate, Sue’s positivity lights up every gardener’s day. In 2019 we highlighted the first garden she and her partner Marshall Goodwin designed in Pittsburgh’s Schenley Farms, Oakland neighborhood (Zone 6b). Since then they’ve poured 14 years of dedication into a stunning new oasis that we’re thrilled to share.
We are Sue Hughes & Marshall Goodwin, and we moved 14 years ago seeking a garden at our new home. We packed what we could salvage from the little garden we built in our youth, which was featured on GPOD, and started fresh in the historic Schenley Farms district of Oakland, Pittsburgh, Zone 6b.
This iron garden bench, attributed to John McLean of New York (c1880), sat in an old garden across the street since the early 1960s. Our new neighbors, who preferred contemporary design, gave it to us. Restoring it inspired us to expand the stone border into a fuller, more graceful shape.
The garden path leads to the back of the garden and to the bird feeders. It’s lined with light‑catching cobalt blue bottles from our previous garden. Plants here endure deer and deep shade: ostrich ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteri, Zones 3–7), mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum, Zones 3–8), spotted laurels (Aucuba japonica, Zones 6–9), American holly (Ilex opaca, Zones 5–9), a shade‑tolerant low‑growing bamboo (Sasa palmata, Zones 6–10), and rhododendrons.
A giant autumn crocus (Colchicum giganteum, Zones 4–8) and a stainless steel gazing ball on an old chimney pot. Wildlife can’t handle glass balls; they break easily, so we weighted the steel ones to keep them safe. The ‘Ruby Falls’ weeping redbud (Cercis canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’, Zones 5–9) had a good year in 2025, but harsh winter and deer browsing in spring have slowed its recovery.
The sitting area faces the wild, woodsy side of the garden. A lilac, started from a neighbor’s sucker, sits next to ‘Cat’s Pajamas’ catmint (Nepeta ‘Cat’s Pajamas’, Zones 3–8) in entrance pots. Potting soil can be too cold, wet, or dry in winter, yet Nepeta thrives when other perennials falter.
Twilight in the sitting area is magical: hummingbirds sip their last nectar before nightfall, cardinals gather seeds, and the falcons that nest at the University of Pittsburgh’s end of our street never come this late. (Watch a short video about the falcons visiting Sue’s garden: Our Cathedral residents got some new jewelry!)
Deer appeared in our neighborhood a couple of years ago after the city allowed hunting in Schenley Park, prompting deer to seek safety and forage elsewhere. The expanding University of Pittsburgh campus has also displaced more deer.
A collage of the garden in autumn, highlighting tiny woodland details: delicate eggs of the green lacewing (beneficial insect), a leopard slug (Limax maximus) that cleans up debris and preys on grey slugs, the pleated inkcap (Parasola plicatilis), and a small bird’s nest fungus (Nidulariaceae).
Our woodland garden attracts birds year‑round. A birdbath heater is essential in dry winters or when water freezes, ensuring wildlife can access liquid at ground level.
I love this tree—rooted from a twig of an unknown Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora, Zones 7–9). It grew rapidly, remaining evergreen through harsh winters, unlike the two ‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’ magnolias I bought that lose some leaves in cold weather. Bees swarm around its fragrant blooms, sometimes roving inside.
Before‑and‑after photos reveal surprises: old railroad ties buried under the sitting area and a cement block planter that was nearly impossible to disassemble, filled with gravel more than soil.
Thank you, Sue and Marshall, for sharing this remarkable garden update. Your 14‑year transformation is a testament to perseverance and creativity.
What garden changes have you made recently? Whether you’ve moved to a new space like us or added upgrades this spring, share your journey in the comments—or submit photos of your garden’s evolution to the blog. Follow the directions below to submit your photos to Garden Photo of the Day!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a collection of plants you love, or a beautiful garden you’ve visited.
To submit, fill out the Garden Photo of the Day Submission Form (link). You can also email 5–10 photos to [email protected] with details about the plants and location. Tell us where you’re located, how long you’ve been gardening, proud successes, lessons learned, future hopes, favorite plants, or funny garden stories.
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