Augment summoning is not as great as people think. The prerequisite, Spell Focus: Conjuration, is alomst useless to a druid using only core spells. That makes the cost too high.
There are three feats that I think every druid should have: Natural spell, power attack and combat expertise. You've already heard about natural spell. Power attack is a must because the druid will have very high ABs when wildshaped at higher levels. A strength in the mid 30s will compensate for the AB lower than a fighter's AB. Combat expertise is also a muct because the druid's traditional problem is a lack of AC when wildshaping. Being able to boost your AC by 5 will often be the difference between life and death.
Some other good feats: Weapon focus: Bite (or claw), Improved natural attack: Bite (if the DM allows it), Quicken spell (no AoO from casting quickened spells anymore), Cleave, Weapon Finesse (for animal forms with a dex higher than the strength - there are many).
As for races: If you'll spend most combats in wildshaped form, you don't want a halfling, elf or half-orc because their sta bonus will be lost to you. Dwarves are nice for all their special abilities in dwarven form and extra constitution, though keeping track of racial saving throw bonuses activity can be an annoyance when they are lost in wildshaping. Human is often the best choice, as the bonus feat and skills are never lost, even when in another form. Human is the only race to retain all of the racial benefits when wildshaped.
Animal companions are key. The three 'optimal' animals seem to be a wolf at first level, a dire bat at 4th level and a brown bear at 7th level. The wolf is the best first level fighting companion. It advances nicely at third. When it is time to replace your wolf, the dire bat and the brown bear stand out as options. The dire bat has the best AC of standard animal companions, flight and blindsense as well as adequate combat abilities - an excellent choice if you don't need to focus on an offensive ally. The brown bear has a good number of attacks, a decent constitution and a high strength for his level category- a combo that makes him a strong offensive force, especially as he advances in hit dice as a companion. Tigers are nothing to shake a stick at either, if that is a more appropriate creature for your setting (though it has a lower AC, lower AB, etc ...)
