On Apr 11, 6:55 pm, "Elle" wrote:
My backyard has a roughly twenty foot long, roughly 3.5
feet high and two feet wide, ostensibly adobe and
brick-constructed "planter." It holds dirt so of course I
can plant flowers, tomatoes, whatever in it. Its front
(facing my living room) is decorative. That is, it's nice to
look at.

What's the proper name for this trough-like planter?

It is one variety of a raised garden bed.