Make smart purchases on your landscape plants to save money in the long run. Buying healthy plants ensures strong growth and disease resistance. Before you head to the garden center, consider the following plant-buying pointers.

• Choose plants suited to the amount of sun, partial shade, or shade in your garden.
• Avoid plants that don't grow well in your climate zone.
• Buy plants that, when mature, are the right height, shape, and color for the scale of your landscape.
• Choose plants that are compact, healthy, and, (if applicable) just starting to flower. Avoid weak, spindly, or insect-infested plants.
• Avoid buying plants that are rootbound or have outgrown their pots.