Have you considered Russian Sage? I can't find my picture right now, but it has nice grey/green foliage, blue flower spikes in the fall and a strong sage smell that deer probably won't like. Echinacea/coneflower would go nicely with it.

Last time I had read in a Newzeeland Agricultur blog that they're grown shrub in early summer. These followers, mostly longer than 30 inches within two or three weeks. I think you must Grow them in the end of March.

http://mammothmill.com/