Plant of the month - Rudbeckia

Is it late summer, or early autumn?  This between-season time can throw all kinds of weather at us.  Whether the sun is shining or not, there are still plenty of plants providing a sizzling selection of hot colours and tropical vibes in the garden, now merging with the rich autumnal shades creeping into the borders.

One of the late summer stars bringing the zing at this time of year is rudbeckia.  The variety ‘Goldsturm’ is still standing strong, those golden yellow petals contrasting sharply with the jet black eye at the centre of each flower. These are long-flowering, sturdy perennials and bring a big hit of sunshine when they’re planted together in drifts. They combine beautifully with grasses and other perennials, and the seedheads can be left standing during the winter - the dark cones look attractive and they also provide food for birds. 

Rudbeckia ‘Sahara’ is also well worth growing - these come in various shades of burnt orange, yellows and reds but with a softer, painterly feel which warms up any corner of the garden where you’d care to plant them. They’re easy to grow from seed, and you’ll get a mixture of shades and shapes once they begin to bloom, from compact, soft yellow orbs to wide, daisy-like petals of spicy cinnamon and warm apricot. ‘Sahara’ pairs especially well with a bronze grass such as Carex comans.