We have south facing balconies about 1/2 block from the beach just north of Los Angeles' airport. Morning and evening marine layer fog is not unusual, nor is hot heat from dawn till the sun goes bhind a building around 1-3pm. I have 5 white plastic window boxes each about 30-36" long and about 7" from front to back. We have neighbors across the street who can look right in, so I'm tryng to come up with taller plants that don't require a deep space for their root ball. I'd love to plant perennials that flower along with some other plants that are trailing, but searches at my neighborhood nursery aren't going so well.

Right now I'm looking at planting either foxglove or ornamental grasses (Mexican Feather Grass (Poaceae Nassella tenuissima) and Tom Thumb Phornium). Anybody know why these alternatives wouldn't work? If they're OK for this situation, what about somethng trailing to plant with them?

Or something else entirely?

Thanks so much.