| At last, a Black-eyed Susan for gardeners who don't have a lot of sunny ground to devote to big, billowy plants. 'City Garden' is just what it names implies--a compact plant small enough for containers or tight spaces, but with all the beauty of its larger cousins. You will love the sheer flower power of this long-blooming, super-colorful native wildflower!
The flowers begin in midsummer (and don't quit until autumn in most climates), each one boasting a handsome black center and long, slender, sulfur-yellow petals. It may remind you of the famous Goldsturm Strain of full-sized Black-eyed Susan, and that's a nice comparison indeed, for Goldsturm has been rated among the top perennials of all time for the sunny garden. Indeed, 'City Garden' matches it for abundance of blooms, almost completely concealing the large, pointed dark green foliage at times with the blanket of blooms!
Butterflies are drawn to 'City Garden' irresistibly all summer, and even after the chillier days of autumn have driven them away, songbirds flock in to take their place. Even if you are using 'City Garden' as a cutting plant for indoor arrangements (a great choice, for the flowers are very long-lasting), try to leave the last blooms on the plant, letting them dry out. As the petals fall, the seeds in the central cone mature, creating a nutritious feast for the birds (and great birdwatching opportunities for the gardener!).
This plant reaches just 12 inches high and not much wider, but is absolutely crammed with flowering stems and lush foliage. The faster you cut the blooms, the quicker new buds arise to take their place. And it needs no special care except good soil drainage and some pampering its first season. Heat, humidity, drought, cold -- these are all matters of indifference to this hale-and-hearty American native!
Plant this sun worshipper in the border, use it as edging or groundcover, or accent it in containers and other up-close sites. It is long-lived and virtually maintenance-free, rewarding you with bright color and plenty of winged visitors season after season! Zones 3-8. |
