there's a type of euonymus that fits that description. i don't know what it's called, but it stays under 8-12", is evergreen, heavily variegated green & white with pinkish edges in cold weather and forms a mat. i have some that was planted when we moved in, if you're local and want a cutting, let me know. it's spread is about 3' (and it's stayed about that size for more than 10 years now with no trimming).

you know, i know i shouldn't say this, but one could say your headline could be misread as bush's thinking caps, of which we all know he has none. ok- so, no more political jokes- just thought i'd point it out, since that was my first thought (before i thought of shrub bushes). :)

Hoot of an answer Tam.

How about Rosemary? You can prune it to keep it low and eat the clippings - they stay green all year and are easy to propagate so you only need to buy one. They are not variegated but they get lovely lavender flowers so perhaps that can be a trade-off to variegation?

Nancy the nancedar

I grew some "Felix" catmint two years ago from seed and it's textured light gray-green leaves and blue flowers might work with the gardenias. It's 8-12 inches tall and spreading - died back only January and February this year.

A prostrate rosemary might not need so much pruning to keep it short as a tall one would, although since it grows out as enthusiastically as the upright ones grow up, maybe it would, so it didn't cover more ground than wanted!

Lavender might do, if it is planted relatively high and dry. Not variegated, but not really green either, more a silver green.

A dwarf Raphiolepis, Indian Hawthorn, while not varigated, might do, flowers in either white or pink.

It's not wholly evergreen, but keeps its leaves late, and leafs out early, so would a variegated caryopteris do? You get blue flowers in late summer, which butterflies LOVE!

Also not wholly evergreen, Gold Mound Spirea, while needing some shaping to keep the size, is a lovely color, and has flowers in the summer.

On the silvery side, lamb's ears are nice - either the regular ones which flower in summer along tall stems, or the larger-leaved, greener, non-flowering 'Helene von Stein'. The leaves are smaller in the winter, but they are still there. 'Helene' can flower, but I have had maybe 20 flower stems in 6 years, so it's not much. They spread, so you would have to keep them in the bounds you set.

what about some of the lower growing sedums? nan- you'd know better than me, but does s. lineolarum stay evergreen ( i have it, but it's up by the road and i don't ay attention in the winter to which sedums disappear and which are evergreen)? i think it at least has a presence, if not it's full size in winter. i'm sure there are others, too. i think lamb's ears would be lovely! i like the small tight winter rosettes in contrast to the bigger summer ones.

LOL Tam, NOOOOOooooo I did not mean THAT bush, lol. Didn't even make that connection when I posted the title although looking back it now DOES make one wonder!

Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions, I'm off to the nursery this morning with suggestions in notebook to take a look at everything and make a decision. It is SO nice to have this community where everyone pitches in with "bush" thinking caps to help a "bush"less member out!

Whew, I'm "bush"ed from typing all this.
Ugh, ok, enough of the bush puns, sorry! lol

best of luck! i think that's a great way to do it anyhow. you're still welcome to cuttings of mine if you want them. just let me know.

glad you enjoyed the joke-- when you didn't write back i was afraid i'd offended. i'm normally pretty careful to not touch politics. that one was toooo tempting. :)