Rudbeckia hirta 'Indian Summer'

Lovely sunsets, cooler evenings and Black Eyed Susan's are some of my fondest delights of summer.

Rudbeckia flowers hold a special spot in my heart. There are several cultivars, but my favourite has to be one from the hirta series. Rudbeckia hirta 'Indian Summer'.

Here, the flowers in my garden stand out like nothing else -  to bid me good morning each time I peak outside while I eat my breakfast. 

Flowers span out to 4 inches, once completely unfurled.

This is the 2nd year for my Indian Summer plants, and each have about 8-10 flowers.  I'm sure I would have more if it were not for my dense shade. They stand about 20 inches and just perform with ease, even in low light conditions.

Here in zone 5b, they are treated as a biennial, although, I've seen the same plants last 3-4 years. Self seeding year after year, offering seedlings in case the parent plant dies off.

Even when flowers unfurl, the range of colour is just amazing.

Look for them both in the perennial and annual sections of your local garden centre (they can be sold as an annual bedding plant). Or try them from seed. They are wonderful!