Pansies schmansies. The greatest flaw in the nursery industry is that certain portions of the growers and distributors think that if a plant requires one percent gardening skill, we rubes will never buy it.

During the gardening season, the Renegade Gardener takes a short, soft look at some of his favorite plants (old reliables as well as new introductions) that just might come in handy in your Zone 2 through 4 yard, then has a little fun telling you where to stick it. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Achillea millefolium
Aconitum 
Aesculus
Actea racemosa
Alcea rosea 
Alchemilla
Allium senescens 'Glaucum'
Asarum canadense
Aster
Astilbe
Astilbe ‘Rise and Shine’  
Athyrium niponicum ‘Pictum’
Not Bamboo! 
Baptisia australis
Baptisia x bicolor 'Starlight Paririeblues'
Berberis thunbergii ‘Goruzam’
Bottomus umellatus 
Boltonia 
Bottomus umellatus 
Campanula
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Pendula'
Chelone lyonii 
Cosmos
Cotinus coggygria 
Dictamnus albus 
Diervilla lonicera 
Eupatorium
Euphorbia
Euonymus alatus 'Compactus'
Euonymus fortunei ‘Canadale Gold’
Evergreens: Updates on Various
Filipendula ulmaria
Fothergilla ‘Blue Shadow’
Fritillaria
Galium odoratum
Heuchera 
Hypoestes 
Iberis sempervirens
Iris
Lamium maculatum 
Ligularia dentata 'Desdemona'  
Lilium
Lobelia 
Lysimachia ciliata ‘Purpurea’
Muscari
Nepeta
Oxalis
Osteospermum
Physocarpus
Picea glauca ‘Rainbow’s End’ 
Platycodon
Polemonium reptans ‘Stairway to Heaven’
Polygonatum
Pulmonaria spp.
Rhododendron‘PJM’ 
Solenostemon 
Solidago
Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Blue Heaven’  
Syringa x ‘Penda’ (PP20,5750)  (Sy-RING-uh)
Tanacetum
Thuja occidentalis ‘Degroots Spire’
Thuja occidentalis ‘Mr. Bowling Ball’
Thuja occidentalis ‘Yellow Ribbon’ 
Tiarella
Tilia cordata
Torenia
Tsuga canadensis
Weigela florida ‘My Monet’
Yucca filamentosa ‘Color Guard’