well ami ... we in MI just had 4 weeks in single digit temps ... so there isnt much action anywhere in the cold areas ... and hosta dont do all that good.. the warmer your zone .. so though you may be ready, willing and able to get a move on spring.. you just arent going to find many hosta peeps that are ABLE .. trust me.. after an intensely cold winter.. i am ready .. but mother earth is not able .. are hosta appropriate for your zone???? anyway ... try the exchange forum.. but dont expect much until the ground thaws in a vast majority of the US ... ken

You have to think about zones, too. Most of the people who have been successful with Great Expectations seem to be in zone 5. As a hosta lover, you're lucky to be in 5, it seems to be the perfectly balanced spot. We can't have all those lovely things that grow in zone 6, or better yet, zones where it doesn't freeze, but nature gives us spring bulbs and hostas. I'd buy anything that catches your eye and is in your budget. Just remember to check how much sun they like before you plant. As a general rule, the less green the hosta has, the more light it needs. Anything that says plantaginea (probably messed up the spelling) likes more sun. Blues like more shade and only dappled sun if you want them to stay blue. And they all like to be kept moist. Of course, there are exceptions. Great Escape is a mix of blue and white. It follows the blues in not liking a lot of sun. The white rim burns. If you post on the forum, there's always someone who's already growing your hosta variety and can make suggestions.

OK -- that photo was sufficiently yucky! I would know if I saw something grouped together like that, but I have never seen eggs in clusters as the picture shows, although I do see plenty of slugs. Only the east side of my garden seems to have perpetual slug problems. I don't have a camera right now to show pictures, but the hostas look like they are spattered with tiny holes, and some like my Liberty and Atlantis don't have any problems at all. I can still see the pellets when I last spread Sluggo, so I am guessing that rain/water makes it ineffective. Is that right? We have had a lot of rain -- nearly every other day, and it's raining again tonight. I hoped that I could eliminate the pest problem this year so that I have a clean garden next year.

For plant suggestions you are really better off going to local nurseries and seeing what they have in stock than asking an internet forum that includes people who live in many different gardening zones and have different plant preferences. That way you can choose things that will grow in your zone and also fit your gardening style. But even the nursery route will not save you from the reality that trial and error are an inevitable part of an introduction to gardening! But having said that, I don't really understand the information in your OP. Your text suggests you are wanting to discuss two planting beds, but your photo shows a single square area with some rocks in the middle. It is a cool little area but in terms of making design suggestions we would have to know if it is the front, back, or side of the house and what, if anything, the purpose of the area is in terms of your gardening or land use objectives. Your house looks to be made of a beautiful stone and I think the idea of gravel with a stonescape or statuary is actually a pretty good one for complementing that, no need for a lot of plants here at all. KarinL