It's possible to grow some subtropicals outside -- there are ginger plants in my front yard, and two banana trees in my back yard -- as well as more temperate plants.
However, living so close to the ocean does have its drawbacks -- we get a lot of fog in the summer, so I have to keep most non-epiphytic cactus in an enclosure to keep them warm enough to bloom.
Most of the epiphytic cactus I own live in a greenhouse year round. It doesn't get down to freezing (usually) but it does get cold enough to make the epis not want to bloom. They hang or sit on benches protected with copper to deter the snails and slugs, which are a year round problem due to the lack of freezing weather. We also have a constant supply of ants invading the greenhouse and making their homes in the epi pots. ;_;
San Francisco Bay Area General
