LeighMo wrote:

Unless you've very experienced, I do think you should start out with a wide
variety of plants. It's not easy to predict which plants will do well in which
tank. Sometimes, even if you choose plants that are supposed to do well with
your pH, hardness, temperature, lighting, etc., they don't make it. And
sometimes plants that supposedly won't grow in your conditions do just fine.
If you get a lot of different kinds, you're bound to find some which thrive for
you.

In addition, some plants may turn out to be more work than you want to do.
That beautiful Cabomba that grows an inch a day may be thrilling at first, but
after a few months, you may get tired of pruning and replanting it twice a
week. So wait awhile before you thin your selection. After a few months, you
may come to appreciate lower-maintenance plants, even if they aren't as striking

I second Leigh's ideas. Beginners benefit from an assortment because they achieve
success with at least some of the plants early, even if some die. Intermediates (I
include myself in this group) are continually experimenting to learn:

* which grow too fast, and require too much maintenance
* which create imbalance in your tank by sucking out all the ferts
* which look good or bad with your other plants