The
Rudbeckia was a 'hardy herbaceous, handsome weedy' thing
... and no garden needed 'more than two or three'. The
rudbeckias date back in England to John Tradescant times
(early seventeenth century), being an import from the
Americas. R. hirta, pictured to the left, was
imported (or first grown) sometime in the early eighteenth
century.
Rudbeckias
preferred a dry sandy loam. They were perennials, and
could be propagated by seed or cuttings. 'Being rough
and gay and conspicuous at a distance, they are admirably
adapted for the front line of a shrubbery'.
Some
of the most popular Victorian varieties included Rudbeckia
Californica, R. Drummondi (a dwarf variety), R.
fulgida, R. hirta, R, laciniata, and R. speciosa.
The
Rudbeckia was named after a learned Swedish bishop called
John Rudbeck.
