10 Gal. Community Tank

Question
I want to start a community tank which I have just put a small female beta into. But I am torn between what else to put in once it has properly cycled. I would love to put dwarf gourami but I'm not sure if they would clash as they are so closely related? I plan on having plenty of plants hopefully live to provide hiding places if that would help any. If gouramis would be a bad idea would it be possible to mix my beta with barbs or a mixture of swords and platys? Would it be best to just choose one and put in some tetras or rasporas? I don't want to overstock the tank so I have a smaller tank for fry if necessary and I have a pet shop to take them. Numbers would be great so would some beginner plants to put in that are easy to care for. Thanks so much.

Answer
Good Morning :)
For beginner plants I would suggest going to Wal-mart and just grabbing some of the aquarium bulbs they carry in their pet department. I'm not sure the scientific names of them but there's some that are lillies and the other is some type of sword. They are very easy to grow. The swords are easier than the lillies and what I typically start a tank off with. They grow fast, tall... They look good in small groups but can also be used to create dense cover.
Mostly because your tank hasn't cycled yet, I would recomend starting with some platties or mollies. They are two of the best types to cycle with because they are so hardy. The smaller the tank is, the more difficult it can be too cycle. In a few months, once you have cycled (you'll probably lose some fish between here and there) I don't see why you couldn't throw some garamis in there. The Dwarf Garamis tend to be a little violent, but there are types you can get that aren't. Personally, I love the Starburst Garamis. They are very mellow and the colors are beautiful.