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.

Pelargonium 'Vancouver Centennial" is listed as a zone 10 plant by most references, requiring overwintering inside in most of the US. On the other hand, a usually-savvy customer in Salem, Oregon, Zone 8, reports it having overwintered outdoors without even losing its leaves! We can't vouch for this, but it would be nice if this brightly-colored fancy-leaf type would be cold-hardy too. If not, it's still worth overwintering on a windowsill, as grandma did. Bright orange-red flowers top it off. Grows to a height of 1', with an equal or greater spread.

Parahebe olsenii -- A rare Parahebe from New Zealand's South Island, a subshrub to about 18". This tiny-leaved Hebe relative deeps pouring out sprays of 3/8", rose spotted cups from spring on. Spreads and rambles. Zone 8b.

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.

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.