Pandorea jasminoides 'Variegata' -- Variegated Bower Vine -- An Austrailian warm-climate vine to 20' or more, evergreen in mild climates. Dark green oval leaflets with cream variegation, decorated by pink trumpet flowers with deeper pink throats. The plant will regrow if frozen to the ground in zone 9.

Phormium cookianum -- Mountain Flax -- Like the better-known P. tenax, it's a clump-forming perennial with broad, arching, linear leaves. The leaves are light green and can reach 6' in height, with a 10' spread, so this is an imposing "grass". Although Phormiums are only supposed to be hardy to zone 9, they are commonly grown in the zone 8 parts of the Pacific Northwest, where they may be only root hardy in the most severe winters. Word is that they need regular summer watering for best winter hardiness, perhaps not so important where it rains in summer.

Phormium 'Jester' is one of the spectacular multicolored hybrids, sporting bright pink leaves with lime-green margins. Growing just 2-3' tall, it's more suitable for smaller gardens, or even pots, than some of the other colorful varieties. Hardy in zone 8, but may have foliage damage below 15F.

Pistacia chinensis -- Chinese Pistacio -- Not the species that produces the commercial nut, but a good, tough tree that will handle pollution, poor soil, drought, and cold to -10°F, and still give you great red and orange fall color. Compound leaves, may be multistemmed when young. To around 30'. Zones 6-9.

Pleioblastus pygmaeus -- Pygmy Bamboo -- Among the smallest bamboos, this one stays just a few inches tall in a pot, and may grow to 18" in fertile ground if not mowed. Yes, mowed; it is a rapidly-spreading evergreen groundcover that is fine as long as it's kept out of the perennial bed and mowed every 2-3 years to keep it looking good. Often used in bonsai. Zone 5, but may not be evergreen below zone 7.

Poncirus trifoliata 'Flying Dragon' -- The eycatching feature of this variety is its contorted green stems with long thorns. It's an attractive rounded shrub to 6', smaller in a container', with a similar spread, having glossy leaves and sweet-scented white flowers in spring/early summer and often again in autumn, followed by small oranges. Often used as a bonsai. From northern China and Korea. This is a citrus that's hardy to zone 5, but before you break out the orange squeezer, note that the common name of the species is Bitter Orange. The 1.5" fruit aren't palatable.

Punica granatum 'Nana' -- Dwarf Pomegranate -- Small deciduous shrub to 4', often used in bonsai and containers, but hardy in the ground to zone 7. Noted for its abundant production of showy orange-red flowers spring through summer, followed by 2" red fruits.