Western exposure, on a concrete patio against a dark (terracotta) stucco wall, smallish (12" at the opening) terracotta pots. Gets very hot afternoon sun.
Zone 8a, but I can bring the pots inside in winter.
Watering will only be done by hand, so if I miss a day or two it'll still have to be able to survive.

The look I'm after is minimalist, something simple, one or two plants only. Something of sculptural interest welcome. Something exotic / tropical / southwestern / Mediterranean or similar welcome. Could be something edible. Something not too sharp, as the pots (4 identical) will be positioned at eye height for children. Something that looks good from early spring till late fall.

Thanks! I'm at loss for ideas. I used to have a purple draecena and a tralining purple potato vine. Looked great, especially 4 in a row like that, but couldn't handle the heat.

Prickly Pear: (there is spineless varieties). Most varieties are hardy in zone 8a. Edible fruits and pads are a nice plus.

Rosemary: Should be hardy in zone 8a with some die back and regrowing. I would probably bring indoors for the coldest parts of the year.

Thyme: Makes a nice drought tolerant ground cover.

Aloe Vera: Has a lot of medicinal uses. Also can add into smoothies etc. Only problem is, it has a low cold hardiness and would need to be brought in with temps below 40.