This week… Rudbeckia hirta
THE name coneflower gives it away. Each flower is like a large upward-facing daisy with a ring of narrow petals surrounding a striking cone-shaped eye that can be very dark, giving it the common name of black-eyed Susan, or honey-coloured or gold. Individual flowering stems carry one, or perhaps a few, flowers and are held upright emerging through mounds of rough dark-green leaves.
Perennials and annuals
Coneflowers come in hardy perennial types and they also come as annuals (sometimes known as gloriosa daisies). These summer and autumn-blooming flowers are usually yellow, although red-flowered varieties are now available along with a variety of
