Ground cover help in Z8b needed please!

I'm slowly creating a beautiful, drought tolerant, bug & bird friendly, year round interest cottage garden in full sun and sandy soil. I've already got perennials, bulbs, ornamental grasses, sago palms, roses, a few annuals and a gorgeous dogwood tree. I am desperately seeking ground cover(s) that:

*hopefully are evergreen
*minimal water requirements
**will crowd out centipede grass (have spent hours with a pick ax clearing it out of my yard and am over of it)
*hopefully will crowd out other weeds too
*will fill in around my existing plants but not overtake them
*will allow my perennials and bulbs to push through and for me to plant more
*hopefully attract bees/butterflies/birds
**NOT be something squirrels like (I've spent a lot of time & money inadvertently making squirrels very happy)
*not be aggressive/invasive

I realize this is a long, daunting list, but am hopeful y'all can help me! Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated. :)

Thank you,
Lydia

I would start by deep mulching the area with any sort of organic matter. This will discourage weeds, and decompose and help the sandy soil.

There are a few basics about ground cover plants, and you can decide which way you want to approach this.

You will have to check if these grow in your area.

Herbacious, running ground covers spread via surface stems that lay on the soil. Like a vine. Many of these can fill an area pretty fast, but they can also climb into and around small plants, and overwhelm them. These might be called vines, or perennials.

Herbacious, creeping ground covers spread via short stems, they are not so fast growing, so you would probably have to plant them closer to get the area filled in a reasonable time, but they also do not overwhelm small plants. Many of these are also considered perennials. Some are a bit taller, and can be a bit pushy, so not recommended around the smaller perennials. Some do not really spread and fill like a ground cover, but are simply low growing perennials. * = plants that will spread more than the others. **= even stronger spreading, or a bit taller. Not for delicate plants.

Tough enough to crowd out weeds, but not too tough that they would crowd out desirable plants is a tricky one. I would go in the direction of a bit more aggressive, then keep a clear area around the plants most likely to be bothered by the ground cover plant.

Birds, Butterflies, Bees: If it has a flower, something will come to it. Some are more attractive than others, of course. You should look up this part of the plant when you research the list. I have added a few notes, but by no means complete.

In zone 9b these are all evergreen.

Here are a few ideas:
Achillea
Arabis
**Cerastium tomentosum
*Chamaemelum nobile
*Dymondia
**Gazania, the trailing hybrids (Butterflies)
Oenothera (several)
Origanum, the lowest varieties perhaps related to Kent Beauty, or varieties of O. vulgare
Penstemon, there are several wild plants with common names like Mat Penstemon (Butterflies, Hummingbirds)
*Raoulia australis
*Sedum, many. Pork n Beans, Dragon's Blood and others.
Thymus, several species, many varieties. (Bees)
*Elfin Thyme is great among delicate plants, Slow, flat, not invasive.
**Most other Thymes are a bit more rambuctious, well suited to stronger growing plants.
Veronica, several species.

Taller:
Nepeta (Walker's Low)
Pretty much all the Ice Plants. These have been split into several genus and species.
Lithodora difusa

Most of the low growing shrubs are too aggressive, but here are a couple that might help out.
Arctostaphyllos 'Emerald Carpet'
Eriogonum, several species. Look into the smallest.
Helianthemum nummularium
Salvia sonomensis, leucophyllum 'Point Sal' and perhaps others. Gotta figure out what grows in your area, what is available.
Teucrium cossonii majoricum
Teucrium x lucidrys, including 'Prostatum'

Thank you for all your help Diana! It is greatly appreciated.