Yes, I like to leave the old stems of the sedum up, as you did, so I know where the plants are. I also think they help 'catch' leaves and snow. Now that you can see them well, removing the old stems will make the plants look fresh and 'clean' although the new growth would be unaffected either way. If you accidentally pull a chunk with roots & new stem, just bury it back to the level it was or slightly deeper. Unless it completely goes bone dry, it won't mind, probably won't even stutter. #5 - hope somebody else can help. My only guess is squill and I don't think that's right, leaves are too broad, too many buds on the stems. Looks like they'll be extremely pretty, whatever they are!

If a viney or sprawling plant, most likely to be Virginia creeper rather than Boston ivy. Same genus, different species. Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, has 5 part leaves, as in the photo. Boston ivy has 3 part leaves.

1. is too far away to id. for certain. Possibly Spiraea arguta clipped so it hasn't flowered. 2. is a Fuchsia - not necessarily a winter hardy one. 3. is Buddleja - quite likely a self sown one that someone has attempted to cut down. 4. Sorbus cultivar possibly S aucuparia 'Chinese Lace'. 5. Philadelphus or Deutzia - new growth is tricky to distinguish. Erring on the side of Philadelphus. 6. Potentilla fruticosa (see above for the latest name change but still widely referred to as Potentialla.) 7. Campanula portenschlagiana, a very common self sower. 8. Aucuba japonica All are run of the mill except the Sorbus. If you cadged that one you got a bargain.

It's Callisia fragrans. In flower. http://luirig.altervista.org/schedenam/fnam.php?taxon=Callisia+fragrans