What can I grow right now? zone 8

[crunky]

So I have 2 big planters in front of the house(facing south), on either side of the front door. Right now they are completely bare, and I want to fill them with something that will grow and live year round. I live in Tucson AZ.

[rainbowgardener]

Since you said big containers, I was thinking small shrubs. You would have other choices such as ornamental grasses or making a mixed container with with tall perennial in center, then smaller perennials, then something trailing to drape over the edge.

But suggestions for small shrubs would be:

dwarf abelia - just gets to 2-3' tall/wide, has glossy evergreen leaves, dense growth, flowers, variegated leaves

daphne 'Carol Mackie' version is similar sized, very fragrant flowers, white variegated leaves, evergreen

dwarf pieris - slowly grows to 3-4' tall and wide (by ten years), has winter buds, spring flowers

Texas sage - purple flowering evergreen salvia, flowers several times a year, well adapted to desert climate

If it were me, for plants in front of the front door, I would go with shrubs as being more striking, less fussy and busy than mixed containers, but let us know what you think.

[crunky]

Hmm I actually have some texas sage in the front yard already. would it be possible to pick seeds from it and plant them? Or do they need to be cross pollinated or anything? What about birds of paradise, we have some of those too.

[rainbowgardener]

Pretty much anything you can grow in your yard, you can grow in your containers, especially since you don't have very severe winters.
In cold winter country, things in containers are a lot more vulnerable to freezing and freeze-thaw cycles, but not your issue.