Hi everyone.

steiconi – Given that it’s a six foot fence and comparing
the plant to that, I think your plant could be a Neoregelia species called compacta.
It’s a very popular species around here and is ideal to grow around the base of
a tree which it will eventually climb.

There are a few different forms but all are around the 10”-12”
diameter or even wider when grown in the tropics. I have
two different forms and one has short stolons (about 3”) and the other has stolons
about 7”-9” long. Both forms are
vigorous growers and pup easily and therefore make good garden plants suitable for planting
among rocks and bits of driftwood throughout the garden or mounting on trees.

Neoregelia compacta

Here in Australia at a place in Far North Queensland called Paronella Park there is the largest specimen of this plant I have ever seen. It’s growing up and all around a tree at the
entrance to this park and the tree would have to be at least thirty feet high
and ten or more feet in diameter. It's worth visiting the park just to see the plant alone.

https://www.google.com.au/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=paronella+park+images

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paronella_Park

I have found that if it is growing in strong
light, it will stay in colour for the whole year but if grown in shade or low
light it will only colour up at flowering time. Unfortunately when we were at
this park it was winter time and the plant was in mostly low light and uncoloured.

Neoregelia compacta at Paronella Park entrance viewed from the front.

Viewed from the rear

All the best, Nev.