Most bromeliads do not like salt. This includes saltwater spray, driftwood that been in saltwater. And you will have to move the plants into protection during winter. They are tropical rainforest plants.
Here is a good site to do some reading on FCBS.org
As for growing on anything that depends on the bromeliad you want to grow. Check out Tillandsia on that site. Neorgelia provide great color assortments and are easy to grow.
Lastly this is an addictive thing you are about to start so don't get carried away. Remember every one of these plants produce pups when in good growing conditions. SO have a plan of where to put the babies that will come along.

Hi HDD

You make a very good point about addiction; something that we often overlook. I got the shock of my life when I looked at my collection the weekend and the realisation suddenly dawned on me that my collection (which almost fills the back yard now) will at the very least have doubled in size by this time next year.

It's a pity you don't live handier Zach because I could give you plenty to experiment with. Oh well, more freebies for other budding enthusiasts or more trips to the dump.

I live one street back from the ocean and often get salt on the roof of my shade house as well as all of the garden plants, but they don'r seem to suffer any ill effects. Maybe its because they get a bit of a slosh with the hose after the breeze has been blowing salt air in from the sea.

As for mounting on driftwood; be very careful and make sure you give the driftwood several long soaks in fresh water (changing water between soaks) and then leaving it out in the sun for a few months to bleach and weather it as well to be on the safe side.

As for the frosts, you can bring your plants inside during this period or cover them with frost cloth or some other suitable frost protection. Also, brom's hate wind; so you will need to build some type of wind protection because the plants get blown over and leaves get broken which makes them look unsightly.

As a guide to growing conditions, I have found that if I feel comfortable in the environment I have created for my plants, then so will the plants.

All the best, Nev.

Nev I am in zone 9 and I had to do more than frost cloth the last 2 years I had to heat the greenhouses and glad I did. Lots of stuff in bloom right now
So I am off to pollinate a few...................

Hi HDD,

Yes I keep forgetting I'm in a different country and I'm still also not sure what your zones mean.

I'm amazed at the dedication of you folk who have to bring plants into the house every year to save them from the winters, and I guess I don't know what winter really is, living where I do in Australia where we don't get the extreme cold that you experience. I saw snow once, and have never had the inclination to see it again! Brrrrr, too cold for this old bloke!

I like to share info on these forums but sometimes forget to mention that I live in Australia where the conditions are very different, so I'm sorry if I'm sending the wrong message and I must be more careful next time.

All the best, Nev.

Nev zone 9 here is almost tropical and to heat greenhouses here is almost unheard of but the last 2 years have been killers. We run around in shorts and sleeveless shirts most of the year even in ordinary winters, rarely even see frost.

Gee HDD

Sounds a bit like where I am, singlet and shorts all year, "God's Little Acre".

All the best, Nev.