Grow walls-a blossom or a bane?
 

I have noticed in my visits to different sites of both European and American growers that some use a wall of heavy hardware cloth on which to hang mounted
orchids. I have also read of something similar being used in terrariums/vivariums with the use of coconut fiber sheets or other means to accomplish the mounting of orchids or other epiphytes.
This is a great idea for use in a greenhouse or is it frought with a host of problems that make it an interesting thought but a practical nightmare to do??

Any thoughts or experiences?

I personally think it's a grteat idea in greenhouse, not so practicle in orchidarium. I presume we are talking 1/4" or 3/8" hardware cloth as the backdrop? And I presume your plants already have hooks of some sort?

The thing to keep in mind with mounting stuff to things in the greenhouse is, is it going to be a permanent thing or not?
I have shied away from the grow walls because they block too much light. I like to mount stuff onto large cork slabs and driftwood and hang them up. Then I can move them if I need to, and they look more natural.

Grow walls are great to use for a planting that's going to stay put and be completely covered, like with epiphytic ferns or a mass mounting of orchids or bromeliads you don;t plan to move, but if you change your mind...?

If you mount orchids on separate slabs and then hang them on the wall you will save lots of space and you will be able to move them around later.

true, but I like the more natural look of the different mounts.

If I was going to put a grow wall in my particular GH, it would need to be 12 feet high (the height of my sidewall) and would block too much lateral light