Welcome back, Tom. I'm north of you, but have noticed more native nurseries popping up here and there. I would encourage you to check some out - anytime you are working with plants native to an area I think you will have much better luck. I've used this web site often, great planting plans and such:
https://green2.kingcounty.gov/...
If natives don't attract you, just roam through any of your local nurseries. An artist friend once advised me to buy at least one flowering plant every month of the year, which ensures you will have something in bloom all the time!
Rather than constantly trying to outwit slugs and snails, I try to avoid plants they like and focus on ones they find less palatable. Strangely, some cultivars of the same plant seem to be better than others. For example, I love ligularias for their foliage, but have found most to just get tattered EXCEPT for 'Rocket' which for whatever reason does not.
