What should I plant with Black eyed susans?

Question

The area is part sun--wooded. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Salvias would look good. Blue Anise sage, Indigo Spires and Victoria are some that would blend well with your Rudbeckia.
Perennial verbena like Biloxi Blue and Homestead Purple look great as understory plants to the tall gold flowers. Surround a purple or plum-colored buddleia with several of these rudbeckias. Hilo Princess angelonia is also wonderful massed adjacent to the Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm'.
Why not consider a large blue glazed bird bath, painted bird house, or bench to complete you setting.
Since it is a prairie plant why not try mixed grasses like Miscanthus sinensis 'Sarabande', Festuca 'Mairei', and Panicum virgatum known as switch grass. These would be natural paired with the fall blooming Rudbeckias. It would look nice with spring and summer bulbs. The grasses would come later and cover the dying foliage of the daffodils and tulips.

For pure drama the foxtail plumes of Asparagus densiflorus 'Myersii' and the striking black leaves of Colocasia esculenta 'Jet Black Wonder' offer two very different types of foliage to offset Rudbeckia.

Answer 2

Purple cone flower, shasta daisy, aster, daylily, joe-pye weed,
ornamental grasses, there are many more.