Shady rock garden plants - high desert (grow, violet, nursery)

[SunGrins]

I live in the high desert at 5,500 ft in N.M. and we might get ten inches of rain in a wet year. I have been struggling to establish a rock garden but it gets shade almost all day. Any suggestions for drought tolerant and shade tolerant plants would be appreciated. Winter temps seldom get below 15 F degrees. I also have a rabbit problem. Right now I have an agave that was transplanted there and seems OK. A Mojave Sage is existing but not thriving and a lavender seems to still be alive. Rabbits seem to ignore aromatic plants but eat yucca and even prickly pear.

[typical_guinea_pig]

I don't know if this will work, because it can grow to about 18", and maybe rock gardens need smaller plants? But Creeping Germander (the compact variety) will grow in full shade and rabbits don't seem to like it. The botanical name is Teucrium chamaedrys 'Prostratum'. Also Plumbago is very pretty with violet hued flowers, and it grows in full shade, but I don't know if rabbits like it, since it's in an area that is rabbit free for me. The Plumbago I have is Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, and it's supposed to only grow to 8" but spread 18". Mine is still very young and small.

I have also heard that columbine varieties can be very drought tolerant and prefer full shade, but I have no experience as of yet with them here in the foothills of ABQ.

[SunGrins]

Thanks, I have seen Germander in the local nursery. It might work.