Balcony plant composition?

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I'm no gardener but our new apartment will have south-facing balcony and I'm thinking of putting some potted plants there.
I'm not fond of typical balcony flowers, much more into lots of green.
An obvious limitation is climate - we have real winters here and I won't be able to winter plants indoors.
Another limitation are my very low gardening skills and irregular free time. I need plants that largely care for themselves.
I was thinking about boxes with decoratove grasses like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calamagro ... acutiflora and some wildflowers.

Thoughts?

I know this is obvious: but you can get perennials to plant which bloom in the spring, and remain dormant in the winter.

A potted birch tree is growing in my mind. It's a native, sturdy and beautiful tree.
My quick research also indicates there are "honey meadow" seed mixes on sale - with sturdy, native herbs attracting pollinators. That feels more attractive to me than the usual big garden flowers that require a lot of active care.

Anyone with experience with low-maintainence green?

Another concept: switchgrass. Non-native but well-adapted to the climate.

So, a birch tree and a curtain of switchgrass. That's my current concept.