Cabbage Leaved Rudbeckia

I love the exagerated shapes of these, the careless petals, the tall furry brown centers, the bright yellow (of course) and the contrast to the copper oxide blue of the cabbage like leaves below. The plant is over seven feet tall, and stands in a bed that is already raised a foot. The blooms comically dominate that part of the long new bed, sharing the glory with a large orange lily. We have had at least one of these, somewhere in the gardens, for over 15 years now, and we enjoy not only the yellow flowers in summer, but also the yellow goldfinches who will come to eat the seeds in the fall.