My big fat rudbeckia “Herbstsonne”

These never should have been placed where they are: at the front of the sunny “corral” bed, obscuring other shorter plants that have managed to survive and blocking sun from anything I plant that might otherwise grow as tall.


They’re interesting though, starting out as fat green buds, then upward-facing yellow daisy-like flowers, then petals drooping down as the seedheads begin to form. Bees find them interesting too.


They look great from above. There is something wonderful about height in the garden—and, design-wise, the wisdom seems to be that verticality is the way to go for me, given the narrow lots and narrow tall buildings. I should likely move them to the back of the border, but I have plenty of tall action there already.


My other favorite rudbeckia has also begun to open—a not-as-tall triloba variant that has sunset-colored flowers. It blooms abundantly through fall.

Rudbeckia are not my favorite plant. I find the Goldsturm brassy and overplanted. But they do very well in this area and as long as I can find some interesting cultivars, they’ll always have a place in the garden.