I can offer this much:

Potted tropical plants that can be moved into a bright window indoors in the winter (definitely NOT for the basement or garage):

Aucuba japonica JAPANESE AUCUBA
Aspidistra elatior CAST-IRON PLANT
Asplenium nitidum BIRD’S NEST FERN
Begonia BEGONIA
Billbergia nutans QUEEN'S TEARS
Billbergia pyramidalis and var striata PYRAMID
Chamaedorea elegans PARLOR PALM
Clivia miniata FLAME LILY
Clivia nobilis RED LILY
Cordyline australis HARDY DRACAENA
Cordyline stricta AUSTRALIAN TI PLANT
Cycas revoluta CYCAD, SAGO "PALM"
Cyrtomium falcatum HOLLY FERN
Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’ ABYSSINIAN BANANA
Fatsia japonica JAPANESE ARALIA
Phlebodium aureum HARE’S-FOOT FERN
Pyrrosia lingua JAPANESE FELT FERN
Rhapis excelsa LADY PALM
Schefflera puekleri TUPIDANTHUS
Tradescantia pallida ‘Purpurea’ PURPLE HEART

Joe

Here, Billbergia nutans is pretty much 100% hardy in an "under an overhang situation"

All the other stuff I grow in a greenhouse--orchids, more rare rainforest palms, non-hardy gingers like Etlingeras and tender costus, hoyas, anthuriums, philodendrons, stuff like that.

But this forum is "Tropical-esque" and all of the plants I listed are "tropical-esque" (the suffix "-esque" means "having the characteristics or look of"). Better yet, these plants are better indoor plants than typical tropicals (which do better in a greenhouse).

There is a "Tropical Plants" forum for true tropical plants.

Also, my climate is not that different from bihai's. All of the above plants are totally hardy here and I leave them outside -- in the ground -- all year.

Joe

I'll try and get some pictures tonight and post them later.

Musa basjoo grows in ground. I used to bring a potted pup indoors for winter but they are now established enough that I don't bother.

Cannas usually get direct planted and I bring in some rhizomes to overwinter dormant. This past year some actually overwintered outdoors for the first time.

I personally don't care for the look of a pot sitting on top of a garden bed, but I love them around a deck or patio.

datdog, your planters are glorious!

Planting in the pots is the highlight of my spring! I just spend the last couple of weeks planning and ordering exotics for my pots this summer. I can hardly wait!

Your grasses look fantastic also.
Do you use any hydrangeas, like the climbing petiolaris?

And most of the plants listed are hardy in z8B in Alabama, although I cover them with blankets for our hard freeze nights. My monstera deliciosa plants stay in huge tubs all year round. I'm waiting for them to begin climbing the hedges which were trimmed high like umbrellas.

This forum suits my style just fine. You all talk my language! :)

They spent the last two winters outdoors sometimes covered with blankets. They are still in big tubs, but may soon be planted. Everything in this corner is newly planted as of April 2008, and the old sand-laid bricks came from our old house which was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.