Thanks G for the link, it will help immensely and Thanks Kiki, I did visit the botanical gardens last year and had a wonderful time although I must have received a thousand mosquito bites while walking the trails. I can only get my DH to do one garden and I haven't been to the arboretum in a couple of years.

Well, what's the best way to accomplish this? I have a LOT of plants but no time to baby any pots. My favorite way of giving away plants is for folks to drive up, point out what they want, and I shovel them into box flats. I think this is much easier for plants...as opposed to handling them into pots and then unpotting them and handling it into the ground. My front flower bed is way, way overfull folks. I either give away now or chunk stuff into the compost bin! The herb bed has lots to spare too!

I think Rux would have many of what you've mentioned....plus a few that you may not have thought of. I'm surprised no one has commented on them. Maybe they are not aware of them. In spring they have a pretty good selection of less common hostas and pulmonaria. It seems like most local folks agree with my impression of BB Barns. It is a beautifully designed nursery with healthy plants but waaay too pricey for me. If they are indeed "marked down", they would be well worth a look see. I don't quite agree with the opinions about Jesse Israel. I found some things a bit pricey, but I also found a couple of things I hadn't found anywhere else at fair prices. I Iike the shrubs at Reems Creek but thought their perennials were a bit pricey---but well worth a check in case they're marked down in Sept. I have several of the brunerras, but I only like Jack Frost. We are on the edge of where they grow well. The heat dries up their leaves and they're not too attractive in mid summer---but they're really nice after they've clumped a few years....especially in the spring with those pretty blue flowers. Until recently they were not easily found here. Everything you have mentioned is relatively short. You might want to use a few pieris, rhododendrons, etc for some height and winter interest when all the perennials have disappeared? Have a fun trip. Here is a link that might be useful: directions to rux

Thank you all for your responses. ncamy, I have sent you an email, I look forward to your suggestions! To give more details about the home, it will be a 2 stories home, and the lot has minor slope so very little grading needed. It is also in a subdivision so water, gas, electricity is there. For those who have already built in the area, I would welcome the names of any reliable builders you have dealt with, even at $200/sq.ft. I would be willing to wait another year to get the house of my dream if it is worth it! Thank you again!!