In the top picture the plant on the left is a Clematis. The one in the centre is a double lace cap Hydrangea - something like Hydrangea macrophylla 'Izu No Hana'. Both appear to have been severely dwarfed for pot culture and neither is an annual nor a tropical.

In the second picture the centre plant might be a Sedum but I'm not well versed in succulents. The one on the right looks like a dwarf conifer, again a field I am not much into.

Thanks florauk. I took the pictures while on vacation. Yeah, there are a lot of nice plants we can't grow out here in the tropics.

In the bottom pic, I was thinking along the lines of Sagina/Selaginella for the two in the back, but couldn't suggest a particular species. Same pic, far right, Portulacaria? If the plants were grouped by cultural requirements, the one you know might steer you toward the right type of plants to compare.