In partial shade/dappled shade for me, the nasty, awful, greedy rabbits have not touched: Ferns Hellebores Geranium macrorrhizum and hybrids Geranium maculatum Stylophorum diphyllum Pycnanthemum muticum (in the sunnier areas) Thalictrum Columbines Plants that they love to target: Phlox stolonifera Phlox divaricata Aster cordata (but not Aster divaricata) Geranium phaeum Keep in mind however that if hungry enough, rabbits will eat and destroy ANYTHING, regardless of what books have to say. Even if it is something supposedly lethal.

If you want aggressive groundcovers that spread quickly - but don't invade or affect your larger plants - I have a few I like to use, which are common, easy to find and well-known: Ajuga reptans var. 'Bronze Beauty' - nice dark-leafed groundcover (a mottle of dark purple and olive green leaves) that is very shade-tolerant for the areas closest to the house. Short blue flower spikes in the spring. It will survive droughts but if there's water available it will grow very dense, to make it absolutely impossible for weed seeds to sprout from within it. But it's shallow-rooted so won't compete with your plants, nor will it shade them because it never grows more than 3 inches from the ground. It's easy to spread around by digging small bits that take well even in heat. Sedum spurium 'Red Carpet' - A very attractive red-leafed sedum that will really stand out in contrast to those varigated irises if planted right next to and among them. It is also very low-growing, drought-tolerant so it will not take water that could be going to your other plants, and this particular variety grows pretty slow. Sedum spurium 'Tricolor' - similar to 'Red carpet' but grows more quickly, has a green/white leaf that has a very visible pink blush over it when it's exposed to direct sun; it also turns more pink in the winter, and has pink flowers. Cerastium tomentosum ('Snow In Summer') - spreading silver-leafed ground cover that is also reliably less than 4 inches high, gets absolutely covered in white flowers in the early summer, and would pop against the ajuga and red-leafed sedum. It wouldn't contrast as well against the iris so I wouldn't plant it right there, but because it's the most drought-tolerant, I'd put it right up against the edge of the garden.

I have a mostly shade garden with lots of deer. I have good luck with lady's mantle, brunerra Jack Frost, liriope (which I love), and astilbe. I just wish the astilbe bloomed longer. I have dicentra excima but am disappointed with the tiny blooms and so-so foliage. In the most sunny areas you have, there are some hardy geraniums that can take a little shade, but check for the right variety. I plan on buying lenten rose and primrose. Of course, hosta is the mainstay of the shade garden but in my area they are deer candy. Good luck!!

The wall itself IS A BORDER. It borders an upslope and that slope forms a backdrop. of the view. In the backdrop are numerous large boulders/rocks that seem attractive and add interest. Why would you want to plant anything in front of them that hides them? It seems like you should be getting rid of weeds and planting low enough groundcover type plants that nestle around the rocks and unify them into a clean, clear and strong artistic statement.