As you discovered, the more crevices the plant has, the harder it will be to dislodge those bamboo sheaths. So I'd look to either very large/coarse-leaved plants like Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia species) or even a large trunk-forming succulent like Euphorbia ammak 'Variegata', or very feathery ones like Mahonia 'Soft Caress' or Acacia cognata 'Cousin Itt' that don't have enough leaf surface to trap the sheaths. Make sure you choose species that can handle the sun exposure there, including the glare off the white wall and the urban setting.

The bamboo won't stop raining debris no matter what you plant, so you or your gardener might invest in a shop vacuum (with the narrow crevice tool attachment) to suction out debris from the Agave and other plants — much more effective than trying to blow it out.

Also, topping bamboo really isn't an effective way to control debris. Bamboo doesn't grow like shrubs or trees; bamboo canes (or culms) are genetically predetermined to grow to a certain height -- say, 20' -- and then stop growing. Topping them creates that dense "witch's broom" of branchlets visible just below the cuts, which creates even more leaves and therefore more debris. It would be much more effective to cut out the old, mature culms at the base of the plant as the new ones grow in, allowing the new culms to reach their full height before cutting them out the following season.

Good luck! We'd love to see photos of what you decide to do.

Good point about the witches brooms. You can see them in the OP's photo. Rather spoils the elegance of the bamboo.

The extremely reduced leaf coverage your planting is actually displaying indicates a problem - maybe the droughts in recent years? Otherwise, the twiggy appearance it has also developed could indicate it has been blooming. If so, there will have been the same general kind of petal less flower spikes (and perhaps seeds present afterward) as produced by non-woody grasses.

There is a mountain view from my rooftop deck otherwise I'd let them do their thing full height. The hedge was just drastically cut back and the clumps and stumps around the perimeter dug out and removed. It always looks like I killed it when I cut out the outside layer of shoots although this is the most aggressive ever. Then it rained for a month right after. I think its ok.

I plan putting a short wall on the other side... in the yard, at about bench height and backfilling the bamboo planter higher. After I've waterproof the front wall. I've been assured that covering the base of the bamboo with dirt will not hurt it. Is that right?

I absolutely love the landscaping of this Lloyd Wright around the corner from my home. Can I put oversized cactus anywhere near bamboo with that kind of leaf drop?