A golden rudbeckia with painterly dark markings on some petals reminiscent of the light and shadow cast around a campfire. Blackbird Rise Farm, where these seeds are collected, got its name from the red-winged blackbirds that visit the wildflowers of Maine. This rudbeckia showed up in the meadows surrounding the farm and exists at the intersection of wild and cultivated, annual and perennial, field and farm. We love how these bright golden petals dramatically shift to burnt sienna evoking the saying by Ursula Le Guin: "When you light a candle, you also cast a shadow."

Rudbeckias are cheery, generally fuss-free perennials that compete well with weeds and easily adapt to a variety of garden conditions.