Virginia Creeper would be perfect there. It is a vigorous climber that would fill in quickly.It’s also a native that provides berries for wildlife and is the host plant for a number of beautiful moth species. Very easy to start from seed, though on that steep slope I would recommend plugs, so they don’t just roll to the bottom.

Martha

Thanks so much Martha - but when you say its berries are beneficial to wildlife, does it provide berries that would attract deer? I guess I didn't make it clear that I'd prefer to plant something that doesn't bring deer to the slope. They travel historical deer paths nearby and I'd like to keep them moving....

Lamium will love that shady slope and will spread like crazy, but that’s the problem, too. If it gets too happy it will spread into your lawn. The deer and rabbits don’t bother it. It gets pretty yellow flowers and doesn’t get very tall- a few inches.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamium_galeobdolon

A more expensive, but nicer solution might be the big root geranium ( macrorrhizum). They are better behaved, and prettier, I think. They are $12 for gallon size at my nursery, but the good news is that after a year or two they are very easy to divide.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geranium_macrorrhizum

Don't confuse Lamiastrum galeobdolon (yellow archangel) with lamium (spotted deadnettle)!! They are two entirely different plants, with the first being a listed invasive species in many areas. And it gets a lot taller than just a "few inches" - 9-15" and even bit taller when in bloom.

I’m sorry. I did confuse them. Mine didn’t get higher than my ankle, although it did spread like crazy.

So, I’m pretty sure I did have the Archangel. I found a picture that looks exactly like what I had, but for sure it wasn’t that tall. I never walked around that area of the yard because we also had poison ivy in there, so maybe I just had bad soil or not correctly remembering the height.

Yep - that's yellow archangel!! And it can be somewhat variable in height so you might be remembering correctly :-) It just has the potential to grow a lot taller than what you remember....easily double or even triple the height of Lamium maculatum.

Thanks for more suggestions - I have some lamium that does not do so well in a nearby raised bed in full shade - it limps along and doesn't really grow (and the deer browse it on occasion). Looks great, but certainly wouldn't spread in my area, as far as I can tell.

I also have a patch of hardy geranium which has been very long-lived and looks great, but hasn't spread much, if at all.

I do have some creeping jenny and also some ajuga, both in flat areas that get maybe 3 or 4 hours of part sun. They are troupers! Not bothered by the deer and stand up to foot traffic. Do y'all think they'd do well in full shade and on a dry slope?

I put clumps of Lirope, the one with blue flowers, on my slope. It is as steep, but not as long. I put daffodil bulbs inbetween the clumps. I dug a shallow hole for the daffodils, but the Lirope I just dropped in the clumps I had dug up. They rooted themselves, lol. Everything has spread to cover the slope. I haven't seen deer eating it, but they have stuff they like better, like the neighbors hosta.

Zone 7b North Alabama

What about sweet mint? I’ve heard it’s a good insect repellent and spreads easily.

There are a million mints so which one would be sweet mint? It does spread, that’s true, but then it never stops. Also I’m afraid mints don't repel insects.

Mint generally needs more light than it sounds like is available. I like the specific hardy geranium suggestion, G. macrorrhizum which is fine in quite a bit of shade and may well self-seed because it is native. Geranium ‘Biokivo’ isn’t native, but it is happy in quite a range of light levels and will spread. In general, the scented and often fuzzy foliage of hardy geraniums discourages browsing, and I cannot imagine anything wanting to eat Biokivo which had quite a potent scent.

Put a highly textured mulch such as arborists’ chopped trimmings on the slope to help hold moisture and be sure to water regularly while the plants are getting established.

Hi! Lived in the Poconos for most of my baby gardener years so I know that every property is different. Where I am now has a serious deer problem 1/4 mile away, but not so much here because of smaller fenced yards. Can't really tell from the pics with no leaves on the trees, but I have a less steep slope out back under 2 huge maples. I'm having luck with hostas (but not with your deer!) ferns & hecheuras. I've planted a lot of Daffs-not as appealing to the critters and a once & done but you would probably want to deadhead them once a year. Something I did that I like on a slope-I planted a "river" of low blue bulbs drifting down the slope. Muscari, Squill, Crocus-lots to choose from. My problem was the squirrels, so I've had to cover the ground with wire. To cover it, I've run the fall leaves thru the handheld blower/shedder & while it's not perfect it might help amend your "rock farm"!