I'm outside of Portland, in Troutdale, and in the direct line of the Gorge winds. I have hungry deer; two first or second year young ones eat my Red Twig Dogwoods (which they did not eat at a different location). An adolescent big cat is the reason I assume I no longer have rabbits.

The target area is a 4x6ish feet rectangle, but the soil turns muddy when wet, so I'm not sure of drainage. However it will be on a short (4 feet) and steep (young and healthy could walk up it but not me) slope, and 3 Forsythia are very happy right next to the area. While surrounded by grass, it is back from a cliff overlooking the Sandy River. Note, it is in an open area with lots of ambient light all day from the river and reflection from upslope farmland across the river, but tall maples 60 feet away means it gets about 8 hours direct sun from dawn in the height of summer reducing to no direct sun in the late fall/winter/early spring. Gorge winds reach 50+mph on occasion, and the entire mound occasionally will be covered with ice from freezing rain. Usually the ice is <1 inch, but it could be 3+ inches in a bad event.

There is some sort of Chinese Maple there now (small tree with red maple shaped (not long and thin) leaves), but it has moved down the slope since 1994 when the original owners planted it. It's blocking the way and also has some trunk damage, so I want to replace it. If I can't find what I want, I'll plant 2-3 more Forsythias.

Ideal of what I want:

Flowering or not is not the key, nor is plant vs. bush or leaf color or shape/size. But I don't want annuals. Shape is the key here; my ideal would be something that grows into a 1-2 (or 3) feet high mound with relatively steep slope on the mound. But that is ideal. Mostly something for the amount of sun, deer, and sometimes wind and ice.