Growing Joy: My Love for Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) and Other Garden Favorites

Let’s get to know black-eyed susan (rudbeckia) for colorful pollinator friendly Portland landscapes and gardens.

Welcome to Portland Oregon, my little corner of the world where greenery thrives, colors burst, and landscapes transform into picturesque retreats. I’m Carol, and as a landscape designer, my passion is creating spaces that you can feel connected to, whether sipping your morning cup of Joe in your garden or inviting bees to dance among the blooms. Today, I want to chat up one of my perennial favorites that I use often in my landscape designs–the charming black-eyed susan (rudbeckia).

Wildflower Wonder at Meriwether Farms in NW Portland

Imagine a sea of colorful summer flower with rudbeckia, echinacea, japanese silver grass ‘Morning Light’, lavander and the hot orange flower flutes of crocosmia all swaying in unison. At the heart, the bold black-eyed susan (rudbeckia) steals the show. It’s vibrant and resilient, and it partners beautifully in wildflower-style plantings and foundation plantings, creating a feast for both the eyes and the friendly pollinators.

Bee Heaven in NW Portland

In this lovely Northwest garden designed by my colleague Alana and me, a palette of black-eyed susan, blanket flower, and echinops (yes, an ornamental thistle that bees can’t get enough of) create a carefree-looking dreamscape. While the winter weather definitely strips away the colorful beauty of this pollinator garden (leaving it looking admittedly a bit desolate), our client embraces that cycle—it leaves the seed heads intact for birds to feed on in the winter.

Create Pollinator Friendly and Satisfying Plant Pairings with Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)

Please know there are so many plants that work well as companions for black-eyed susan.  For the more drought-tolerant biennial types of black-eyed susan put them with very low water plants like Silver Daisy Bush (senecio grayi) a fabulous silver green evergreen foliaged plant, or blue/lavender colored flowers of Echinops an ornamental thistle. For a tough low maintenance front yard add more evergreen with a true dwarf mugo pine or even common as dirt, juniper ‘Blue Star’.  My clients who live for plants love rudbeckia, but they are great for the low maintenance client crowd too.

Contact Me

Do you want a thoughtful planting plan focused design for color and visual satisfaction, or to feed pollinators and birds, or a low maintenance back yard to share with your dog that still feeds the bees?  You can have beauty, low maintenance and pollinator friendly plantings, just ask us to create it for you.  I return phone calls and respond quickly to our contact forms!