Land-grant universities and state-run arboretums are gold mines of information on all kinds of trees, shrubs and plants. Many offer plantings at little cost.
If one has the time, visit demonstration gardens or arboretums in every season to see what really happens to plantings over time.
I have a great app on my phone.
It is called Picture This, available in app store.
I just use the free version. Just click out of where they want you to sign up.
You use the app to take a picture of the leaves or flowers of the plant, it tells you what kind of plant it is and how to care for the plant, amazing.
Have a friend who doesn’t do apps and she will send me a picture of the plant she wants identified and I use the app to take a picture of her plant picture and it identifies it.
That’s a good idea. There is a state agricultural college nearby.