Jan, I've order Lupines from Annie's Annuals.. Typically they act like annuals here. I don't think Eremurus does well in Calif. I tried them when I worked at Smith and Hawken w/out much success. Delphiniums are kind of labor intensive, but there's that bright deep blue one that's more branching that is self supporting. I think the deer might eat them though. I've planted Linum perenne, and Linaria 'Canon Went' and 'Alba'. Deer don't eat Opium Poppies, or most of the other ones. Annies has lots of varieties and colors.. I got a pure white Digitalis from Digging Dog up in your neighborhood.. They bloom at the same time.. I'm trying some other Digitalis species too. I'm thinking the ones with smaller flowers would be a nice contrast to the Iris blooms too.. There's a pale yellow one and a rusty one... Digitalis ferruginea, & Digitalis parviflora (I think).. Dianthus are supposed to be deer resistant (although gophers like them). Sisyrinchium striatum flowers look good w/ Iris, although the foliage can look ugly...
