Ideas for keeping live plants in SA tank

[akagochi]

I have been lectured and scolded regarding keeping live plants in my SA tank. I love my amazon Swords, and am not ready to give them up without a fight. My cichlids which are only about 4 in long have been quite tame with the plants thus far, but I know naughtiness is a real possibility. I would appreciate hearing solutions to keeping my plants and what has worked and hasn't worked for you. I'm hoping since all of the cichlids in this tank have all grown up with plants they will leave them alone, but that is me hypothesizing.

Here is my stock in a 125 gal. running-3 canister filters
plants:
Amazon swords
onion plants
nubias tied to wood and rock
fish:
blood read parrot
red devil
pictus
marblehorn pleco
chocolate
H.Pearsi
Tiger Oscar
2 eartheaters
gold severum
JD
firemouth