Rudbeckia does not like to be too dry or too wet at the roots, and it suffered during this summer’s dry spell. But it was fine where soil was heavier and more moist. The flower shape of rudbeckia is daisy-like, but very distinctive. The broad petals are not as numerous as many other daisy flowers, but the effect is a robust structure that is eye-catching. There are various kinds of rudbeckia, some taller, some smaller, but each kind has its own garden value.
Rudbeckia looks good enough by itself, but it can be successfully combined with other daisy-type flowers of the season, such as helenium, helianthus, heliopsis and inula.
Easily the most widely grown of is Rudbeckia fulgida, Goldsturm or golden storm. It was bred in Germany where there has long been a lot of interest in hardy perennial flowers from North America as the climate is similar – hot summers and cold winters.
Origins
The rudbeckia is a prairie plant, and like many prairie flowers can cope with the very severe winter of the prairie states. Even among rudbeckias, Goldsturm is notable. Its petals are held straight outwards and it has a spiky aspect that draws attention.
The plant makes a clump of long-lasting flowers that are flat-topped and they combine in layers to make a domed patch of bright, golden-yellow. Yellow is a cheery colour and this shade is deep and warm, autumnal in tone, but not out of place in the late-summer border. To set off the yellow daisy shape, the central cone of the flowers is deep chocolate brown or black. Goldsturm is about 60-70cm tall, somewhat shorter than the species from which it was bred. The neat size has made it very popular.
The flowers are very long-lasting, very weather-resistant, able to take quite a battering. This is not a plant that needs to be staked as the stems are robust, relatively short and held fairly close together so that they self-support. It looks great with other yellows, but also with blue flowers, such as asters, or purple for a touch of contrast.
Varieties
There are other forms of rudbeckia that are worthy of consideration, such as the variety Herbstsonne (or autumn sun. This variety can make a big mound of leaves topped with large daisy flowers with deep yellow-green central cones. The flowers are bigger than Goldsturm, with broader petals that turn down at the tips. It makes a big clump to over 2m tall, not suitable for a small garden but creating a dramatic impact in a larger garden and ideal for a rural setting. There is also the double-flowered form Goldquelle, about 1m tall and a paler yellow. These are all completely hardy, a factor that is being considered more since the severe cold of recent winters.
A different form of rudbeckia is used for bedding purposes. These kinds are grown from seeds each year and discarded after the summer, and are very easy to raise. They are very like a smaller version of Goldsturm. Goldilocks has double flowers and Irish Eyes is yellow with green eyes. Marmalade has orange flowers. Rustic Dwarfs are yellow, orange and brown-red. Most of these have black or dark-brown cones at the centre of the flowers. They have been selected for short size, some reaching as little as 25cm, although most are about 60cm. They are great for filling out the front of a border and perfect for a new border where there is space to fill. If it suffered in the drought, or other perennials did, make a note to move them in autumn or spring.
Lawn recovers
Many people have remarked on how quickly their lawn recovered after a few decent rainfalls. Greening up the place in a matter of days, a good start was made. Grasses are adapted to react to moisture shortage by losing their leaves, while the stems, which can be runners or side-shoots, are much tougher. Grasses are relatively shallow-rooted, which is why they dry out, but also why they recover quickly, the stems immediately opening new leaves.
Grass is recovering from drought.
And it is not just gardens, the whole countryside has greened up. This is not simply the effect of rain. It is due to an exceptional build-up of nitrates and other plant nutrients by decomposition of soil organic material during the hot weather and no rain to leach it away. Another greening factor is the release of nitrates from the air by lightning’s electrical discharge. This source depends on the storm, but can be considerable.
This week
Fruit, vegetables and herbs: Early potatoes suffered from poor growth, as it was cold and then it got too hot and dry – so some crops have left disappointing yields of small potatoes. It is getting late for repeat sowings, except for salad vegetables that mature quickly. Spring cabbage should be sown now. Weed control will be less of a problem in vegetables. Lawn: Most lawns are still showing the effects of earlier high temperatures, with browning and patchiness. But some have recovered a good deal and others were never too stressed. If enough rain has fallen and more is on the way, an application of lawn fertiliser could be made, but if growth is good there’s is no need.Flowers: Continue watering and feeding bedding plants in pots and baskets to keep them growing well and flowering. If they are not well fed and watered, the plants go into decline, having already flowered. Because the roots have now filled the pots, watering has become more critical than before. Feeding every two weeks or so is essential. Trees, shrubs and roses: There have been very heavy losses of young trees, shrubs and hedging, especially plants that were not long enough planted to have rooted successfully into the surrounding soil. If these plants are not showing active extension growth at the tips of the branches, they may be suffering and should be well soaked.Greenhouse and house plants:Take cuttings of geraniums and fuchsias to overwinter for next year. Continue watering and feeding greenhouse plants. Be careful to water plants in pots or grow-bags regularly. Train and side-shoot tomatoes and give a last feed before stopping feeding. Water in the evening to help plants get a good fill.
Rudbeckia does not like to be too dry or too wet at the roots, and it suffered during this summer’s dry spell. But it was fine where soil was heavier and more moist. The flower shape of rudbeckia is daisy-like, but very distinctive. The broad petals are not as numerous as many other daisy flowers, but the effect is a robust structure that is eye-catching. There are various kinds of rudbeckia, some taller, some smaller, but each kind has its own garden value.
Rudbeckia looks good enough by itself, but it can be successfully combined with other daisy-type flowers of the season, such as helenium, helianthus, heliopsis and inula.
Easily the most widely grown of is Rudbeckia fulgida, Goldsturm or golden storm. It was bred in Germany where there has long been a lot of interest in hardy perennial flowers from North America as the climate is similar – hot summers and cold winters.
Origins
The rudbeckia is a prairie plant, and like many prairie flowers can cope with the very severe winter of the prairie states. Even among rudbeckias, Goldsturm is notable. Its petals are held straight outwards and it has a spiky aspect that draws attention.
The plant makes a clump of long-lasting flowers that are flat-topped and they combine in layers to make a domed patch of bright, golden-yellow. Yellow is a cheery colour and this shade is deep and warm, autumnal in tone, but not out of place in the late-summer border. To set off the yellow daisy shape, the central cone of the flowers is deep chocolate brown or black. Goldsturm is about 60-70cm tall, somewhat shorter than the species from which it was bred. The neat size has made it very popular.
The flowers are very long-lasting, very weather-resistant, able to take quite a battering. This is not a plant that needs to be staked as the stems are robust, relatively short and held fairly close together so that they self-support. It looks great with other yellows, but also with blue flowers, such as asters, or purple for a touch of contrast.
Varieties
There are other forms of rudbeckia that are worthy of consideration, such as the variety Herbstsonne (or autumn sun. This variety can make a big mound of leaves topped with large daisy flowers with deep yellow-green central cones. The flowers are bigger than Goldsturm, with broader petals that turn down at the tips. It makes a big clump to over 2m tall, not suitable for a small garden but creating a dramatic impact in a larger garden and ideal for a rural setting. There is also the double-flowered form Goldquelle, about 1m tall and a paler yellow. These are all completely hardy, a factor that is being considered more since the severe cold of recent winters.
A different form of rudbeckia is used for bedding purposes. These kinds are grown from seeds each year and discarded after the summer, and are very easy to raise. They are very like a smaller version of Goldsturm. Goldilocks has double flowers and Irish Eyes is yellow with green eyes. Marmalade has orange flowers. Rustic Dwarfs are yellow, orange and brown-red. Most of these have black or dark-brown cones at the centre of the flowers. They have been selected for short size, some reaching as little as 25cm, although most are about 60cm. They are great for filling out the front of a border and perfect for a new border where there is space to fill. If it suffered in the drought, or other perennials did, make a note to move them in autumn or spring.
Lawn recovers
Many people have remarked on how quickly their lawn recovered after a few decent rainfalls. Greening up the place in a matter of days, a good start was made. Grasses are adapted to react to moisture shortage by losing their leaves, while the stems, which can be runners or side-shoots, are much tougher. Grasses are relatively shallow-rooted, which is why they dry out, but also why they recover quickly, the stems immediately opening new leaves.
Grass is recovering from drought.
And it is not just gardens, the whole countryside has greened up. This is not simply the effect of rain. It is due to an exceptional build-up of nitrates and other plant nutrients by decomposition of soil organic material during the hot weather and no rain to leach it away. Another greening factor is the release of nitrates from the air by lightning’s electrical discharge. This source depends on the storm, but can be considerable.
This week
Fruit, vegetables and herbs: Early potatoes suffered from poor growth, as it was cold and then it got too hot and dry – so some crops have left disappointing yields of small potatoes. It is getting late for repeat sowings, except for salad vegetables that mature quickly. Spring cabbage should be sown now. Weed control will be less of a problem in vegetables. Lawn: Most lawns are still showing the effects of earlier high temperatures, with browning and patchiness. But some have recovered a good deal and others were never too stressed. If enough rain has fallen and more is on the way, an application of lawn fertiliser could be made, but if growth is good there’s is no need.Flowers: Continue watering and feeding bedding plants in pots and baskets to keep them growing well and flowering. If they are not well fed and watered, the plants go into decline, having already flowered. Because the roots have now filled the pots, watering has become more critical than before. Feeding every two weeks or so is essential. Trees, shrubs and roses: There have been very heavy losses of young trees, shrubs and hedging, especially plants that were not long enough planted to have rooted successfully into the surrounding soil. If these plants are not showing active extension growth at the tips of the branches, they may be suffering and should be well soaked.Greenhouse and house plants:Take cuttings of geraniums and fuchsias to overwinter for next year. Continue watering and feeding greenhouse plants. Be careful to water plants in pots or grow-bags regularly. Train and side-shoot tomatoes and give a last feed before stopping feeding. Water in the evening to help plants get a good fill. 
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