Hardy Plants for Sunshine Coast?

What are some good hardy plants to grow on a property that is built on a sunny, sometimes windy cliff facing southwest, overlooking the Georgia Straight? The plants must have nice foliage year-round.

Potentillas are no-gos; the elements have rendered them a scrawny mess. Californian lilac is doing okay. English ivy is doing so-so on the face of the cliff/wall.. suggestions to improve its condition or add another, hardier vine, would be great.

 

Oh, also, no dense structural plants. "Loose," flowy plants (but not grass) are preferred.

 

I live in on the Coast so speak from my experience of English ivy which is an alien invasive. I am fighting a running battle with it as, once extablished, it is almost impossible to get rid of without either a herd of goats or chemical control. It grows up the cedars, under fences, and pops up all over the flower and veg. gardens. You may want to research it further! Hate is not a word I often use but I do when it comes to ivy!!
Good luck.
Margaret

 

See Plant Selection guide near front of Sunset WESTERN GARDEN BOOK. There are listings of plants for different purposes.

Instead of ivy maybe try Arctostaphylos uva-ursi.

 

Thanks. There is already lots of kinnickinnick growing in the area. I think a kinnickinnick x hairy manzanita hybrid (Arctostaphylos x media ) would be perfect in the windiest areas.

As for the hedera helix, would x Fatshedera Lizei be a good replacement for groundcover?

 

Arbutus unedo and senecio greyii would both work in those conditions.

 

The plant grown under the last name now known as Brachyglottis 'Sunshine'.