The heavy blooming ‘Irish Eyes’ has fantastic bright yellow and gold daisies with emerald green eyes, a far cry from your typical black-eyed Susan. It is easy to grow, great for cutting and offers lots of blooms in the heat of summer. Rudbeckia hirta, commonly known as the Black-eyed Susan, is a short-lived perennial that is native to much of North America. It is wonderfully easy to grow and blooms for an extended period of time. A warm season bloomer, the plants form a clump of foliage from which rises thick, leafy stems topped with colourful daisy shaped flowers throughout the summer. Deadhead regularly to encourage continued bloom. Growing 60cm to 75cm (24 to 30in) tall, flower arrangers will find that the attractive blooms of this variety are produced on strong stems and last for a long time in water. With prominent central cones, they attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies. If the seed heads are left to dry, they will attract seed eating birds. Like many black-eyed Susans, they will self-sow gently. Rudbeckia hirta grows best in full sun and well-drained, average soil, allow the soil to dry between watering. This popular ornamental is at home in wildlife gardens, cutting gardens and mixed borders.