Grounds: Greenhouses

[Holmesian Feline]

The Greenhouses of Hogwarts are a collaborative wonder straddling the architecture of the castle and the great outdoors that surround it. Many plants had found permanent residence within, added by various professors over the years especially after the renovations several years back. Recently an additional two greenhouses have been uncovered and repaired, allowing Professor Cole to adjust the space to his own liking to allow for more specialized uses.

OOC: Here's a basic guide of what you might find in each greenhouse; please remember to play realistically based on your character's age and skill level!
Credit for the layout of the Greenhouses go to previous Herbology Professors: BanaBatGirl, kayquilz, Shanners, Samia, and MadAlice…with a couple of tweaks

Greenhouse 1 – Harmless Plants & Beginner Classroom

Any and all mundane flowers
Bouncing Bulbs
Fanged Geraniums
Flutterbies
Honking Daffodils
Trilling Tulips
Puffapods
Color Changing Roses

Greenhouse 2 – Plants Commonly Used for Potions

Abyssinian Shrivelfigs
Bubotubers
Chinese Chomping Cabbage
Gurdyroot
Various Mundane Herbs & Fungi

Greenhouse 3 – Intermediate Classroom

Flesh-Eating Fir
Mandrakes
Mimbulus Mimbletonia
Screechsnap
Stubby Purple Coral
Gravity Resistant Trees

Greenhouse 4 – Restricted (Do Not Enter Without Permission!)

Devil's Snare
Flitterbloom
Venomous Tentacula
Numerous Mundane "Carnivorous" Plants/Vines

Greenhouse 5 – NEWT Classroom



Greenhouse 6 – Student Projects



Greenhouse 7 – Storage and Overflow



Professor Cole’s Office - Thread can be found here

[Zoe]

Gillyweed was no stranger to the greenhouses. Since their first year at Hogwarts, she and her twin had become frequent visitors to this part of the grounds. With their mother being a herbologist and their names drawn from magical plants, it was no surprise that the duo had inherited an affinity for Herbology. Drake, always the more boisterous of the two, was drawn to the louder, arguably more dangerous variety of plants. She, on the other hand, was captivated by aquatic flora, where subtlety and patience revealed the most fascinating secrets.

Today the Slytherin had ventured from Greenhouse 2 into Greenhouse 3. Over the summer she had taken the liberty of reading about all of the plants that they would be focusing on in the fourth-year curriculum, and she was eager to see the details that books couldn't fully capture: the way a plant moved in response to light, the subtle shift in color, etc.

It didn't take long for the curly-haired brunette to make her way through the various species, identifying them and rattling off their magical properties with ease. When she came upon a particular plant submerged in a pool of water, growing horizontally with its unusual shape sprawled across the surface, she paused.

"Stubby Purple Coral," she muttered to herself, her voice barely above a whisper. "Latin name Coral Acropora Tenuis, also known as Spongy Sea Nettle." She crouched down for a closer look at the plant covered in stubby nodules, observing that, based on how vivid its purple shade was, it was being well cared for.

[Holmesian Feline]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoe

Gillyweed was no stranger to the greenhouses. Since their first year at Hogwarts, she and her twin had become frequent visitors to this part of the grounds. With their mother being a herbologist and their names drawn from magical plants, it was no surprise that the duo had inherited an affinity for Herbology. Drake, always the more boisterous of the two, was drawn to the louder, arguably more dangerous variety of plants. She, on the other hand, was captivated by aquatic flora, where subtlety and patience revealed the most fascinating secrets.

Today the Slytherin had ventured from Greenhouse 2 into Greenhouse 3. Over the summer she had taken the liberty of reading about all of the plants that they would be focusing on in the fourth-year curriculum, and she was eager to see the details that books couldn't fully capture: the way a plant moved in response to light, the subtle shift in color, etc.

It didn't take long for the curly-haired brunette to make her way through the various species, identifying them and rattling off their magical properties with ease. When she came upon a particular plant submerged in a pool of water, growing horizontally with its unusual shape sprawled across the surface, she paused.

"Stubby Purple Coral," she muttered to herself, her voice barely above a whisper. "Latin name Coral Acropora Tenuis, also known as Spongy Sea Nettle." She crouched down for a closer look at the plant covered in stubby nodules, observing that, based on how vivid its purple shade was, it was being well cared for.

Marcus was working on a plan for one of his latest lessons, needing to make sure everything the students would need that he would be supplying was well within reach when required. Walking into Greenhouse 3 whistling with a large box in his grasp, the herbology professor didn’t readily notice that he wasn’t alone in the green space until he carefully lowered the box onto his workstation. It seemed he and his charges had a curious visitor in the former of a young girl.

“Good day, Miss…um…” he greeted with a polite smile, breaking off as he wasn’t quite sure of the girl’s name. It was taking longer in getting all the students straight than it had memorizing the various varietals of mushrooms and their qualities back in school. “Was there anything I could help you with?” Had she a question and wandered into the classroom waiting for him to appear…or just exploring? He supposed as long as it wasn’t into certain other greenhouses that it wasn’t a worry.

[Zoe]

The Slytherin didn't startle at the professor's voice, though her focus had been entirely on the Stubby Purple Coral. With a calm composure, she straightened up from her crouched position and turned to face the man, a polite smile on her lips. "Gillyweed, Professor. Gillyweed Beery," she responded, her voice soft but confident. "I'm just here to observe. I read over the fourth-year material over the summer, but I wanted to see it for myself. The textbook doesn't really do it justice."

She glanced back at the vibrant purple plant, her fascination evident in her eyes. "The way it thrives in water, how it interacts with its surroundings… it's like it has its own little world." Her fingers twitched at her sides as though itching to reach out and interact with the coral, but she knew better than to disturb it. Instead, she tilted her head, curiosity piqued. "Do you know what conditions it needs to reach its deepest shade of purple? I read that light and water salinity play a part, but I wondered if there's anything else."

Her gaze shifted back to Professor Cole. Gilly might not have been the most outspoken student, but when it came to plants and other topics of interest she could talk endlessly. There was always more to learn, more to uncover, and she never missed a chance to ask questions when someone with expertise was available.

When she took note of the box he had brought in, the corners of her mouth quirked slightly. "I'm not interrupting whatever it is you need to do in here, am I?" she asked. Gilly had a way of moving through the greenhouses as if they were a second home, but she wanted to remain respectful of the new Herbology professor and the space he might need.

[Holmesian Feline]

Ah

Now with a name that unique and …plant related…he really shouldn’t have any trouble remembering it from now on. Especially if her presence would become a common place occurrence, something he suspected would be the case by her enthusiasm on the subject. “Yes,” Marcus agreed with a nod, “however written a book is, there is nothing like seeing the natural things, such as plants and animals, in person"". A sacrilegious thought for a Ravenclaw he knew, but he’d also had plenty of experience to back his statement.

The professor couldn’t help but smile in the way she looked and talked about the plant in question. He watched to make sure she didn’t interfere with the coral, but Ms. Beery appeared to be trusted not to misbehave around the source of her interest. A good thing for one so curious, though he himself had had his moments growing up and feeling the need to experiment by touching. And dealt with the consequences on more than one occasion. “MHm the right light spectrum and saturation plays a big role,” he confirmed. "And the health of the symbiotic algae that live with it also matters.” It was what changed coral from the sickly white into the various colors it could be found in around the world.

And then her attention was solely on him and he shook his head at her question. “No, not at all. I have time on this.” Marcus was simply one to take advantage of the moments he could to avoid rushing. Or at least try given how he could get sidetracked in his profession just like any other. “Much more interesting in sharing plant facts with an interested party.” It wasn’t like every student in his classes found themselves caring about his subject outside of the classroom or even inside it during lessons.

[Zoe]

The polite smile widened a fraction at the professor's words. "That makes sense. It's like they're partners in a dance, adapting to each other," she said thoughtfully, her mind latching onto the image of the coral and algae intertwining in a delicate balance. "I wonder if there's a way to optimize the algae's health. Maybe adjusting the nutrient levels in the water could enhance the coral's vibrancy."

Her thoughts raced, spinning with possibilities. Gillyweed loved the idea of ecosystems working in harmony, each element playing a critical role in the survival of the others. She had read about coral bleaching in Muggle texts and couldn’t help but draw parallels with magical plants exposed to environmental stressors. The thought of finding a solution—some way to prevent or even reverse damage to aquatic life—fascinated her.

"Do you have any other aquatic plants you're particularly excited about, Professor?" Gillyweed asked, her voice carrying an undercurrent of curiosity that was unmistakable. She was always drawn to water-dwelling plants, as they seemed to belong to a different, more mystical realm. It was as if they thrived in worlds just out of reach—places where reality and magic wove together. "They seem so... ancient, like they hold secrets no one has uncovered yet. I’ve always felt like studying them is a way to glimpse into a forgotten part of our world."

Her gaze flickered once more to the box on the workstation. "What are you bringing in, if you don't mind me asking?" she inquired, tilting her head. "Is it a new specimen for the greenhouse? Or maybe something for one of our lessons?"

[Holmesian Feline]

His answer had definitely satisfied the girl and could almost sense the wheels turning in her head. Marcus in turn, listened attentively to her own comments, thinking it over for a few moments before replying. “Perhaps…but one would also have to be careful of other environmental factors that the nutrient levels could affect.” It’s why some ecosystems could be so tricky to replicate, that there were often sooooo many checklist items that had to be just right for best results. And a lot of trial and error at times which could lead to the loss of specimens in the process.

As for more aquatic plants. “Umm… can’t say I do,” Professor Cole admitted. “They aren’t exactly a specialty of mine.” Not that he didn’t study them at one point or another, or didn’t find them interesting. He had simply settled in one place for a bit and the plants able to live there had become his focus for the most part. “Perhaps I shall remedy that while I’m here.” There was the Black Lake to consider getting to know the ecosystem of.


“No mind…” the professor assured her. “But nothing too interesting either,” he added, taking out a large container of specialty bone meal fertilizer and a couple of bottles filled with various liquids. “Just supplies for a class that aren’t exactly on the normal supply list.” Because one didn’t expect a normal student to be able find and be willing to afford it. Marcus wouldn’t go into much detail as he didn’t want to spoil anything by absently revealing a clue as to the topic.

[Zoe]

Gillyweed's expression remained thoughtful as she processed Professor Cole's reply. "That's true," she said, her voice tinged with admiration for the complexity of ecosystems. "Everything has to be perfectly balanced. I guess that is part of what makes studying them so exciting, right? Every little change can have a ripple effect."

Her gaze remained fixed on the Stubby Purple Coral for a moment longer before she shifted her attention back to the professor. "Even if aquatic plants aren't your specialty, there's always something new to explore. The Black Lake must be full of hidden wonders," she mused. "I've always wanted to study the plants there up close, but... well, diving into the lake without a solid plan might not be the best idea," she added with a soft chuckle. Despite her love for aquatic flora, even Gilly knew the lake harbored more than just plants.

As Professor Cole unpacked the contents of his box, Gillyweed tilted her head to get a better view of the items—fertilizer and bottles filled with mysterious liquids. The bone meal fertilizer she was able to identify without a problem, though the liquids were something that truthfully would need a closer look. She smiled, her curiosity still bubbling beneath the surface, though she knew better than to press for details. Some lessons were best experienced in real-time, after all.

"I'm excited to see what you have planned," she said simply with genuine enthusiasm.