I would go to a good nursery, tell them your situation, and get recommendations for plants that will do well there.

Certainly sound advice, but rolling the dice versus who I talk to.. so just wondering if anyone from this part of the country had favorites/suggestions.

What is your plan/expectation of these plants over the winter? Doing a seasonal display of potted plants opens an entire world of plant possibilities.

I learned a very valuable lesson years ago concerning container gardening:

Use trees, shrubs and perrinals that are hardy to at least 3-4 zones lower than where you are but also will tolerate your zone. This way they will survice the winter.

I would google: Heat and sun tolerant plants. Given your situation you need to plan on doing lots of watering, possibly twice or even three times a day in full blasting heat.

the area looks like it has lots of potential. Your first season is going to be a learning one, but fun.

Good luck!

Plan is to leave this outdoors during the winter. I line all of the pots with flat foam construction insulation and will mulch the tops - which helps a bit. Smart about the container gardening.

I'll lean towards drought tolerant - I work and can't water plants 2-3x a day, though I could look into an automatic watering system. The neighbor downstairs did one.

If you like the look of yuccas - yuccas! I think Hesperaloe might even make it if you made the soil mix very gritty and free draining, and the flowers are a little prettier. If it proves not to be bright enough for them to bloom, no harm done, you can replace with something else or just grow for the foliage. But it's always sunny in Philadelphia, right?

If you can confirm that you are in USDA hardiness zone 7b, then you should not have excessive worries about overwintering most zone hardy plants. There are a few exceptions..Japanese maples are very root sensitive to cold (damaged by exposure to temps in the low 20's), so I would avoid those unless you can provide extraordinary insulation.

Also, the size of the container and the potting media used will have a big bearing on the watering frequency. Daily watering may be excessive, let alone 2-3 times a day!

Indeed, we're 7B, but I'd take the advise and plant as if 6B/7A.

This is what my below neighbor has done. I have the "other side" of the wall 5 floors up. He's retired so he spends a lot of time on it, but it looks great.

Pay a friendly call on your neighbor and ask what sort of plants he is using. And take note of the container size as well. That should get you started at least.

Yes, planning on it. We talk (shout) via our decks. They're older so I have not tried knocking on the door out of respect for any COVID concerns they may have..

Neighbors plants look like they are ever green of some sort.

I have lots of Dwarf AlbertaSpruce and other such trees potted in a paved area (surrounds a statue) and they do great in the extreme heat. They should do fine with once a day watering plus lots of times they are on sale.

You could try drought tolerant flowers for accents but given your situation I would say they would be a challange to keep up with. Trees are able to take a lot more abuse.

Here are suitable ideas for Philly:Cannas, Yucca, Royal Princess Nandina, Dahlias, Sedums, Mums, Bluebird Anchusa, Ice Plant

Russian Sage, Black Eyed Susan and Cone Flowers will work, great for accents and will return each spring.

Rosemary and Autumn Joy, perhaps.

Sorry to burst a bubble but Cannas, some Sedums, Mums and Ice Plant will completely fry in the sun that has to be blasting off the floor and building. I've got an extreme heat situation and know for a fact how unforgiving mother nature can be and fry things up like it's in a over heated cast iron skillet

The cannas, Ice Plant, Mums & Sedums will enjoy the heat with some watering. Cannas prefer high heat.

Hmmmm

Ice Plant I've tried has gotten fried but heat I have in brutal. Cannas and mums also melted.

Zinnias might be an option for annual color, google the proper way to dead head and they might bloom until frost. If Russian Sage, cut half way back around July 4th or when first blooms start to fade and you'll get another bloom plus a tider plant Merigolds might also be fun but they will require lots of water later in the season due to excessive roots

Best!

The plants I mentioned will do exceptionally well in downtown Philadelphia. They will easily handle the heat extremes there. I lived there for 18 years and know the climate well.

I'm at the beach with excessive heat in my little micro climate, during the warm hot months I have sprinklers going for 12 hours a day 5-7 days a week depending on the heat.

What ever works!

Best

There are climates much hotter than Philadelphia and with far less rainfall or with droughts that prohibit any kind of 12 hour, 5-7 days a week watering schedule!! And yet planted containers on balconies, decks and patios abound. It is certainly possible to have a lush, green and colorful garden under these conditions provided one chooses the plants wisely and grows them in adequately sized containers.

I have a yucca (soap
weed) here in zone 4b that is native and hardy to extreme cold and would likely do well there. I would also look at some grasses that are native and hardy to your area like a mass planting of Pennsylvania Sedge. Don’t go to Home Depot— find a nice local nursery where they can help advise you (and might have a guarantee on their plants).

I know you are looking to keep containers outdoors all year, but tropical houseplants love to be outside in the warmer months and are great on patios!