Are you thinking low- or tall? White on white tonal color range- or rainbows of color? All season flowers? Or Spring- summer or fall flowers- or is it foliage you are looking for? Is scented ou prefer or cast iron sedum you may like?
Please- you have to help me by limiting the question of what to plant in sun- Or I could keep writing all night!!
I do hope that Heucheras will be worth considering, they are a foliage fave in sun and part shade!

Julie

I had alyssum in hanging baskets this year with sweet potato vine and coleus, petunias, and also in my elevated planter with sedum autumn fire. It makes a nice underplanting for the sedum. I've never planted with hostas because Alyssum needs sun and I haven't had any hosta that does well in full sun.

My friend plants alyssum at the base of his boxwood that he has flanking his walkway. It looks spectacular.

What about perennial salvia or veronica speedwell?

Julie,
Sorry I was being so general. Id like something the same height or just slightly taller, nothing thats overbearing because I want to keep the alysium in the spotlight. I dont grow anything in my yard thats pink so thats out. I have coral bells but loose them every winter from heaving and theyre in my hosta beds. The alysium row is on the path with a woodys mood and Id like to keep it in that spectrum. I use 1 1/2 flats of alysium in this bed and Id probably need 12-14 plants, depending on their size.
Kim, I tuck them into my shaded hosta beds and they grow very well, just a little leggy. In those spots Ill grow 2 together to keep it fuller. Salvia and speedwell are too tall. The plants Im looking for will be around my solar light bases in the bed.

Upnort,
I believe that you are referring to Allysium..Back at you smarty pants!!

Denny

Do you Sweet ALYSSUM (Lobularia maritima)? The low growing white or light purple annual that self sows? It grows year round here and seems to pop up everywhere, and some folks call it "pee weed" because it always shows up around the base of fire plugs.

-Babka

I have several hosta in full sun. besides planting around them with Alyssum, lavendar/purple version, (whatever spelling) I also plant Lamium (once again, spelling?) White Nancy and Ajuga. Now on the Ajuga I'm not sure which type. The leaves are a deep purple with a touch of dark green. It's not that big leaf purple form but rather the leaves are small, between 1/4" and 1/2" wide by 1 1/4" long. Smooth edged. I think this is my favorite because the plants to well in sun, are low (3" tops) to the ground and very tightly packed (no weeds)and it spreads at a very acceptable rate and has pretty blue flowers. Mine flower all summer, still flowering now.

Alexis

ouch denny but touche! we both spelled it wrong! Ha!
babka, "pee weed"???? thats awful! I think I love this stuff more than hostas. Im going to go cry now.
Actually, I decided after looking through some books that Im going to try bell flowers, the short purple ones. "Carth-somethingsomething-ian". I grew them before but moved them so many times that they finally commited suicide.

It you are thinking Campanula- be careful- or rather mindful of which you choose- Many are invasive-
Dianthus 'Siberian Blue' is an outstanding selection.
'Sentimental Blue' Platycodon- or Balloon Flower- is another choice front of the bed blue-
Toss in a few Pasque flowers for spring and fall blooms- with interesting foliage-
Love it or hate it- "Gold Coin" or "Money wort" Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' with it's golden chartreuse low growing leaves will make you alyssum POP!
Or if that is too daring- try Lamium 'Ann Greenway' green, chartreuse and white on it's leaves- to compliment the white alyssum-
Add in some 'Crystal Palace' lobelia for the depth that only dark blue can give- The leaves will bronze up in the sun as well-
Stick a few Japanese Ferns in the back- ghostly white and green patterned fronds- and while your at it- add a few toad lilies- in the back with the ferns-
Now the bonus is- these are all perennial- AND - zone 4 hardy!
Now- this is for a "Cool" looking bed- were you thinking "HOT" colors for that sunny bed?
Julie
P.S.... Did you know there are yellow- copper and almost red looking alyssum too?

Alexis, I have Ajuga Chocolate Chip - what you described sounds like this variety. Very pretty.

I can't get my darn Alyssum to bloom in shady areas, but darn it would look good with shady hostas.

Didn't know campanula was known to be invasive. Hope mine isn't (first year).

Gardening is new to me in the past few years, and this was my year to experiment with plants I wasn't all too familiar with. The only dianthus I have that did well for me this year was dianthus sweet william. The spiky varieties just didn't do well for some reason. They browned out on me and faded away. I wonder why?

Thanx Julie for all the info. I didnt know they were invasive but thats because they never seem to last too long in my yard. Maybe if I quit moving them Id know this.
There is no back to this bed. One side is winding path and the other is whats left of the yawn-I mean lawn!