The beautiful matchstick bromeliad (Aechmea gamsepala) is easy to grow and it propagates readily. Like many of my broms, this one is planted under a huge poinciana at the front of my driveway. Even when it is not flower, the striking green and cream foliage adds interest to semi-shaded areas.
Because many broms are epiphytes, they have minimal soil requirements and happily live in and around the roots of big trees, like the red-flowered one below,
or on the trunks themselves, like these three examples in my brother's garden in northern New South Wales about two hours south of Brisbane.
An added advantage of being up high - they are safe from puppy predations! I still get very sad thinking about the beautiful alcantarea imperialis rubra (an expensive maroon foliaged brom) I had in the back yard. Onslow and Miss B liked to scratch their claws on the stiff red leaves! Sometimes the broms can come back from such treatment, but the pups destroyed the 'vase' formed by the inner leaves so that mine couldn't retain water and I lost it. Luckily I have another little one safely ensconsed in the front garden and have two tiny 'pups' (brom offshoots) potted well out of harm's way.
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