Did someone mention deer and rabbits?
Re bulbs, rabbits and deer don't bother daffodils. Spread naturalizing cultivars, such as 'Ice Follies' (whose yellow cup fades to near-white), around in drifts for a lovely spring show which will return. We have such a drift under our grove of Japanese maples. The daffodils are in bloom before the maples leaf out, and the grove looks lovely then. The fragrant 'Thalia' has also persisted here for many years, underneath a willow.
('Ice Follies' blooming under and among Japanese maples)
For the most part, deer and rabbis haven't bothered the Shasta daisies here, either. (The one exception here has been
Leucanthemum 'Goldfinch', which something ate shortly after it was planted out.
http://www.bluestoneperennials... )
Other random thoughts...
Heuchera will do nicely in light or filtered shade areas. (I have a dark shade area that it doesn't do so nicely in.)
For sunny areas,
Gaillardia will give you a very long season of color, provided that you can work it into your scheme, color-wise. ('Arizona Apricot', a seed strain, is shorter than 'Oranges & Lemons', so you will want to choose and place your plants appropriately.)
Much as I love daylilies, they are deer candy... as are roses. (The deer don't bother the carpet roses as much as the other kinds, but they are still eaten.)
Bearded irises, on the other hand... if you can find a spot for those, they are cheap enough, will give you welcome spring color, and the deer and rabbits will leave them alone. If you have gophers, though, you will either have to use gopher baskets, or else underlay your entire planting bed with some sort of wire mesh to keep them out.
