the first picture looks like spring blooming anemone

Close for #1... fall-blooming anemone.

Someone else wrote that it's also called Japanese anemone, aka thimble weed. Very attractive, long-blooming in the fall, also invasive in many areas.

Plant #2 remains a mystery....

Thanks,

--Rick

The leaves look like laurel on the second photo. Have you taken the photo or a branch to the local garden center? They would be able to help.

I showed the picture to an acquaintance who is a master gardener and manages multiple research greenhouses at a local university, and he couldn't say for sure what it was.

My first impression was that it looked like bay (laurel), but it's definitely hardier than that. The flowers and glossy rigidity of the leaves suggested ilex, or possibly boxwood, but I don't think either of these bloom in early November in zone 6a.

The mystery continues....

Rick

Try asking on the Name that Plant forum. It gets lots of experts.

The second plant looks like Prunus lauroceracus Otto Lyken to me. It 's very hardy, and is a great looking smallish evergreen shrub, slowly growing to 1m x 1.5 m . This is a link to hte RHS website page about it : https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/99043/Prunus-laurocerasus-Otto-Luyken/Details

Picture one is a Japanese anemone. It's a bit of a spreader, and hard to get rid of if you decide you don't want it!

I hope this helps,

Pippa.

Happy to help :)