Jewell ~ In my experience deer have eaten the manzanita (kinnikkinnik) and violets. In her first post, even though not on the title, she mentioned that deer are problem. I have had to move quite a few plants into a fenced area due to deer damage, as they are hungry.
I have good luck with ajuga, if you want a fast growing ground cover. (And with any fast growing ground cover, you have to keep it in bounds.) It looks its best in spring when the blue-violet flowers are abundant with little care except for summer water.
The boxwood has had minimal damage since I have planted it in the shady side as well as the pieris, and no damage to the foxglove.
