@Cajunrider
Ah, the possibilities are endless. You are in zone 9A, where so many different sub-tropical trees and shrubs can be grown outdoors year round.
As
@Stan Kengai said: Satsuki Azaleas!
One group that will be great, outdoors, year round, in your location, are the Satsuki azaleas. Kurume azaleas also. These are magnificent in full bloom and make superior bonsai in time. There is a fairly large body of literature, so you don't have to ''go where none have gone before''. Don't worry about winter hardiness, and avoid the azaleas specifically bred for zone 6, 5, and 4. These will have relatively little Satsuki blood. Stick to the true Satsuki. The Japanese actually have a separate appreciation of Satsuki, shows where only Satsuki are allowed. This particular show circuit they will grow into styles specifically meant to showcase the flowers, rather than be ''more bonsai like''. You really can't go wrong with azalea.
Gardenia - they are fully winter hardy by you. I've seen them listed as hardy to zone 7, so you should have no problem. The fragrance is heavenly. Use same potting media and fertilizer as for azalea, like azalea they like mildly acidic conditions.
Roses. - I'm fond of the miniature roses, but will only keep one if it has fragrance. If it does not smell like a rose, it ain't no rose.
My personal bias. I still don't understand why rose breeders would ever release a rose for production if it was not fragrant. Miniature roses would be accent plants for the first decade. It takes a long time to build true wood, but nobody can argue with their archetypical flowers, the standard of beauty. Be certain to purchase only hybrids that are listed as continuous blooming or repeat blooming. If it is not listed that way it only blooms once a summer and in my book, that is not enough.
