Mounting and Baskets? General Questions

[butterfly_muse]

Evening, everyone!

I have been researching various potting methods, and I was wondering if there is a specific reason that certain types are either mounted or placed in baskets as opposed to being in pots with media.

As I understand it, most of our orchid friends are epiphytic and enjoy their roots being open and exposed so they can take up nutrients and moisture if it rains. Is the fact that we grow them in media something that is just for our own human convenience? Especially sphagmum, as it seems that none of them really prefer moss or grow in it in the wild...none that I've happened to read about, in any case. I have seen neofinetias mounded in sphag, but overall most everywhere the consensus is to rid orchids of it asap!

I have been researching many kinds or orchids and many kinds of growing conditions and I've seen mounted orchids, orchids in wooden baskets, orchids without media, orchids inside of plastic baskets inside of wooden baskets...and I am just wondering if there are any benefits to either mounting or using baskets? Are there certain species that HAVE to have this kind of potting/mounting as opposed to pots like my phals or catts, for instance? I have even seen some of them mounted hanging upside down (such as dendrobium ansomum var. alba) to facilitate their blooming.

Mostly, I am just curious. I have thought about doing plastic baskets with my phals, as I currently have them in a shaded west window with a piece of lace in the window to cut afternoon direct sun, but my stupid cats keep knocking them over... And I don't know if it would be better for them anyway, to let their roots breathe instead of hang out in the bark/sphag combo I have them in? I had them in just bark before but it was drying out really, really fast and they were dropping roots.

So I just want to know more about the different options, I spoze.

Thanks in advance!