First decide if you want to plant perenniels or annuals. Small or Large
Consider the water requirements for your plants
Consider the sunlight requirements for your plant.
Is there a theme? Such as the natural type plants that grow in your part of the world? or are you going tropical? PIck one and stick with it throughout the landscape.
Do you want flowers?
Perenniels have flowers usually in spring only and some in fall only. Annuals usually have floweres all summer long. Annuals can multiply in a summer as well if conditions are right. Consider that plants with flowers attract bees. If you have a bee allergy, consider that. If, bees dont bother you, floweres can also attract humming birds which there is no down side to.
Smaller type ( < 3 ft tall) perenniels should not have any root problems. Azaleas and Red Tips and large Shurbs have a large root system that will grow for what seems like miles. I know, because I dug up over 100 feet of both! It was not fun either!
Once you pick a theme (if there is one), then research plants for your agriculture zone that do best, make a list of those you like, and then research the narrowed down list.
Lots of stuff I know!, but if you want a really nice landscape, thats how its done.
I have banana trees all around my pool, with monkey grass lining the "bed". I also have some nice Sego Palms. The bananas and palms dont have an extensive root sytem and are easy to take care of, but the bananas do need a good bit of water and lots of sun. They rock though, I love them!
Small evergreens such as a variety of cedar shrubs are nice also and dont have a wide rood system.
