What are they... and will they survive?!

Some of you have been kindly helping me with some ideas. I have found some plants I would love to plant in the attached pics. . Please could anyone advise what they are... Any of them!

The palms will be too big, I have a very narrow flower bed so hopefully these can be contained to stay small.

My question... Will such plants survive in the UK? The picture was from Greece from a well maintained garden!

Thanks all

 

Just guessing, as Shiney says the pics are a bit small.
First pic looks like aloes with Sansevieria at the back, both plants are unlikely to do well outside in the UK, I cant actually see any palms.

Second pic is probably Agave filifera in the foreground not sure on the plants behind, might be Hesperaloe.
Both would really do better in a greenhouse in the UK.

These are all plants for arid conditions, and as such, very borderline in the UK winters.

 

Hopefully full size pictures Attached!

And thats not good news so far. This gardening business is much harder than i thought! I just want some exotic looking plants like the pictures that can live in a gravel garden in the UK. The research goes on! There must be some similar looking alternatives. Any more help welcome and thanks for the replies coming in.

 

Right yes much better pics, thanks.
Looks now like most are Agaves.
I'd love to be able to grow them outside, they can survive, but in my opinion rarely thrive.

I'd be inclined to go for variegated Yuccas maybe, for a similar effect.
Phormium is an option, there are a couple of aloes I could add.
Cordyline, in various colours is also a good choice.

 

Thanks both.

Pete thank you! Brilliant suggestions and just what I'm after I think.

My flowerbed is barely 2 foot wide what happens when these get too big? I can't just trim the ends of the sword like leaves!?

I'm planning very minimal so a box sempervirens, maybe the yucca you suggest, one other and another box. It's a long thin bed.

Would a smaller mound like agave etc be better. Let's remember I've never gardened though so if it needs a lot of attention I may struggle! Ill have a top soil... Weed sheet, pebbles, cut cross in to fit the plant in.

Thanks for all your help here. Been really useful to know I might just manage that tropical look!

 

Spikey plants do tend to be difficult to prune without making them look awful, its just that most grow from a rosette of leaves from the base or a stem.
So pruning can be difficult.

I'd still shy away from agave personally, if you dont want to give it some protection in winter.

Astelia, have a look, it likes more moisture but has the spikey look.
You could also have a look at Eryngium, a lot of which are hardy, and kind of strange looking.

 

You could try some exotics in pots and then take them inside for the winter, if you have room. This opens up all sorts of plants and also by restricting the roots the plants tend not to get too big.

 

Pete. Thanks again, Astelia is also the look I'm going for. Will certainly research these all!

I wonder if some of the mixed grasses may work they have the spiky green look. Also found a carex gold grass, but I do prefer the smaller firmer sword types!

Good idea on the pots. I swear I read you could plant some plants in thier pots (in flower bed) but it doesn't seem right. I guess it would restrict growth.