I agree that the first one is Orth. gurkenii (grown in low light). The second one could be Ae. maculata, but I can't be 100% sure without seeing a flower. The third appears to be another Aechmea. The markings are similar to Ae. 'Fascicaulis', but there could be other possibilities. Again, a flower would be a big help.

If it's *larger* than most of the hawks you see around, then it's probably a Red-tailed Hawk. This bird has a lot of white on the underside to be a Red-shouldered (and in the second photo you can sort of see the beginning of a possible dark band across the underside - another Red-tailed characteristic). The juvenals won't have a red tail, which can make ID difficult.

I thought it looked like a UK house and garden but was fooled by the OP name ;-) No way of knowing what sort of cherry it came from but since they don't come true from seed, even if it is from an eating cherry, it won't produce the same kind of fruit. It could also be from a wild cherry, Prunus avium, brought in by a bird. All your friend can do is to wait and see what the fruit are like.

Yes katydids. They are the baby version; they will look a little different when they get big. If you go outside just after sunset with a flashlight you can find them chewing on your flowers. If you get up early in the morning when it is still cool they don't move much and you can snip them in half with a pair of scissors.