Keep the planters! I agree on the roof cleaning and have them clean the planter bricks too. After that, a consult with a local plant nursery for suggestions...and don't forget to change out the soil in the planters, it's probably exhausted by now.

You could enjoy annual flowers in the flower box ,I purchased a watering can and some garden tools for my grandson when he was little and he really enjoyed watering the flowers with us , you can always find plants that do not require too much care .

Using your stated perimeters, some type of bunching grass would work. They come in varieties 2 inches tall to 6+ feet tall. Many don't require lots of water and most only need to be cut down once a year. Over time they will grow to fill the planter and be hard to remove but unless you plant an aggressive variety, it should take several years.

I know of very few ornamental grasses that will grow in shade.

Thank you all for your help! Love your ideas. The planter does get afternoon sun. A bit more than 6 hours in the summer. We thought of herbs too...think those would look ok?

Herbs would look nice but in my experience they take quite a bit of work to keep looking nice. Also I can't recall any that like shade. Basil likes lots of heat but also drinks lots of water. Oregano might work but is an aggressive spreader and self sows readily. I have no experience gardening in the Deep South ( I'm in the pacific NW) so maybe someone down south would have better herb ideas. I hear tomatos do great down your way but again they take more work. A grass that would might be worth checking out would be one of the Japanese forest grasses. Up here I can grow it in deep shade or full sun depending on variety.

Greta, check with a local nursery for suggestions. One suggestion I have would be to fill the planter with ivy geraniums. They'd do just fine with your western exposure. Here in Southern CA they bloom year round...very showy. Just want to emphasize I'm referring to ivy geranium...not zonal geranium. My favorite variety of ivy geranium is called "Blizzard," but there are others.

If you like, you could include some herbs, too.