How is an orchid greenhouse/hothouse arranged?

[ArronOB]

I’ve only been inside a few smaller hobby orchid greenhouses, but they’ve all been arranged like this one in the attached image.

An isle up the centre usually with gravel on the ground. In other cases a concrete slab floor. Shelves on either side at about waist height. Usually slatted wooden shelves to let water/air through. The shelves usually fairly crowded with orchids. Usually there is just one layer of shelves, as growing orchids immediately under others of their kind is not ideal. A few shade-loving non-orchids (like maidenhair ferns) growing at ground level. A few orchids in baskets hanging from above - but not too many as they will block the light for those on the shelves.

Often there is a fan running. A heater perhaps.

Generally, there isn’t much flowering. Perhaps it would be a newbie mistake to describe the greenhouse as loaded with exotic blooms - that’s not what you generally see.

Impressions - quiet, humid, stable, intruding on someone’s passion.

Cheers

[ElleWon]

Originally Posted by ArronOB

I’ve only been inside a few smaller hobby orchid greenhouses, but they’ve all been arranged like this one in the attached image.

An isle up the centre usually with gravel on the ground. In other cases a concrete slab floor. Shelves on either side at about waist height. Usually slatted wooden shelves to let water/air through. The shelves usually fairly crowded with orchids. Usually there is just one layer of shelves, as growing orchids immediately under others of their kind is not ideal. A few shade-loving non-orchids (like maidenhair ferns) growing at ground level. A few orchids in baskets hanging from above - but not too many as they will block the light for those on the shelves.

Often there is a fan running. A heater perhaps.

Generally, there isn’t much flowering. Perhaps it would be a newbie mistake to describe the greenhouse as loaded with exotic blooms - that’s not what you generally see.

Impressions - quiet, humid, stable, intruding on someone’s passion.

Cheers

Thank you for that! I appreciate the details and the photo. I'll be sure to include the maidenhair ferns.

Are the monkey-face type orchids considered exotic? I quite like those. And the bumblebee orchids as well.