If you are like me, you’re probably taking ‘wonder trips’ through the many plant catalogs now filling your inbox or mailbox. Some  are eye catchers; others, ‘well, maybes’.

How do you choose one plant over another?

• What zone is it expected to do well in? For Buffalo, Zone 5 is acceptable but you can squeeze in a Zone 6 if you plant it near the foundation of a building or in a protected space from wind and cold.
• Where you are planting it? Will it be planted near a concrete driveway or sidewalk or blacktop? Will it be planted in a pot and where will the pot be stored in the offseason? Is it windy, as in-between houses or near an open space? Will it get sun for 4-5 hrs a day, is the soil dry or stay wet after it rains? Is the soil hard to dig through or can a hand shovel dig through it easily? Will it be planted among other plants or have to compete for space? Or, will it be a ‘signature’ plant, showing itself off?
• What is its growth? Are the leaves bold or delicate? Does it have an extended flowering period or just two weeks? Will you be looking out at it from your window or the patio, or from 20 feet or more away?
• What is its expected height and width? I know you can clip it but do you really want to ‘have to’ hand prune throughout the season to keep it in bounds? And forget about those pint container plants that look so cute when you buy them and now are gargantuans taking over your garden! Like in a kindergarten class, you can have plants that are good in a group or have others that will command your constant attention to keep your garden bed in order.

Hopefully, these guiding questions will help you filter out the “Oh, these are nice” to “OK, these will do well” and not only save you time and money but will become true assets in time in your overall garden composition.

Now, as Mom would say, “Go Out and Play!”