Hi http://www.benaranurseries.com have a ALOE ALOE http://www.benaranurseries.com/showpage.asp?ButtonID=158 quick reference chart. This might help.

Ask your family what they would like to see, not designwise, but plant materialwise - color, texture, fragrance. Even ask your mother-in-law. You have provided some architect's dream, with the bold geometric forms, the bold palms and cycads. How about something warm and fuzzy. Something to rub your hands on as you head to the door. Some color and fragrance beyond the white and palm trunks. How about vines to soften the hard edges of the planters, fill them with ground cover plants so you won't see the mulch in a couple years, add bulbs of all seasons to bring cheer, glossy leaves to brighten your day. Bring nature to your entrance area to warm up the arrival of your mother-in-law. How about saving room for a couple chairs and small table, to sit out and prove that people actually live in this piece of marvelous sculpture, and add the warmth of an outdoor room. Spend some time at the library with books about the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. He is the one who introduced the architectural design idea of the outdoor room. Come to think of it, I don't remember ever seeing a garage door in any of the photos. Guess I'll have to take another look.

Has no-one any idea how totally destructive ALL Ficus plants are - especially around pools. If people dont know anything at all about plants, then they should leave advice to the experts. Ficus have horrific root systems. It may take 10 to 20 years for the damage to become evident, but the damage costs a lot of money to resolve. Experienced and plant knowledgeable garden designers know NEVER to use Ficus in any situation other than in pots - and even here they need to be raised pots off the ground. Do not offer advice if you are plant ignorant. Many landscapers plant and walk away, with no accountability for their flawed advice or landscaping. They can be sued for this. Plant growers grow these plants because of the demand - not because they are good plants. A reputable Horticulturist-designer would never suggest Ficus planted into a garden - especially around a pool. Their roots are shockers.

Will cop heat and cars nearby, so I don’t want something high or sprawling, just a tough low green hardy plant