Sounds like a plan. The Loropetalum is not real hardy either, so if that has been growing there maybe you can use the Pittosporum as well.

For a time.

Pitts are fine for 8B and are good even up into cold zone 8 (Southeast) as far as hardiness goes.

My wife and I put in a nice bed of variegated liriope in front of our Lorapetalum 'Purple Diamond'. We really like the contrast in foliage and color. But it doesn't sound like you want a solid bed of something.

I'm not terribly up on all the possibilities in zone 8, but there's also variegated Euonymous 'Moonshadow', 'Emerald and Gold', and other shorter varieties. These will need some periodic shaping.

Also there are smaller forms of Indian Hawthorn. 'Bay Breeze' is a nice dark-leafed one with pink flowers.

Loropetalum does fine in my location (Northern Alabama) and the dwarf Pitt is perfectly hardy in zone 8b (and even colder).

That 'Bay Breeze' looks nice...haven't seen that one.

Thanks so much for your help. i like the liriope...and I have indian hawthorne in other beds. Thanks for the ideas!