Best plants to liven up a small paved backyard

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What plants (in pots) are the best bet for a small paved backyard? Should be biggish so that they can help reduce the cold feeling of the stone walls and the paving. Here's a picture of a standard terrace backyard similar to mine.

We had some acers in pots for a while and they’re lovely. I have a herb pot that I love with a mixture of thyme, rosemary etc. Fennel grows into a lovely big plant so could have that on its own.

Geraniums and lavender are always pretty!

Have you got Netflix? There are a couple of episodes of Big Dreams Small Spaces that deal almost entirely with courtyard gardens and are really useful. If I remember the advice you can grow almost anything in pots, up to and including small trees. If it was me, I would try to grow some climbers, such as roses and clematis out of pots and up the fence. I would have a rhododendron because they flower quite early, and an early flowering camellia. For later in the season I would have a hibiscus syriacus and a hydrangea, maybe one of the mini varieties of buddleja which tend to be easy to grow. I’d also have a long flowering rose, probably a David Austin.

As it’s nearing the end of the summer bedding season, I’d focus on structure, winter colour and planning for next summer.
Garden centres often sell off plants to make way for Ch** trees etc.
I’d look at buying larger evergreens to create a backdrop and structure.
Hydrangeas, although dormant in the winter are great for a long flowering period next year and are often one of the sold off plants.
A mixture of Spring bulbs do well in pots and can be planted September/ November time. If you’ve got a suitable wall, a clematis Montana will Flower late spring.
Have a look on Pinterest, at courtyard gardens for more ideas.

Ornamental grasses are useful for continuing greenery into winter - not the huge things like Miscanthus which are too vigorous, but some of the sedges (which aren't botanically grasses, but which look like them).