He really did do a great job Jelinda.
Breaking the leaves down with the mower is a great idea. They will decompose much quicker, adding humus and nutrients to your sandy soil. As long as the layer of leaves is not thick it should be okay. Your photos don't show heavy leaf cover.
My John Creech goes semi dormant and returns again in the spring.
My delosperma (Ice Plant) stays every green here, but there are some varieties that go dormant during the winter.
