Botany Manor is a first-person puzzle game set in a beautiful manor house and gardens. You play as Arabella Greene, a retired botanist and owner of Botany Manor, who is trying to unearth the growing conditions for some forgotten flora.
I thoroughly enjoyed playing Botany Manor, but I wished I could have reread the clues from the herbarium rather than taking screenshots and notes or trying to find the relevant clue again.
This Botany Manor guide will help you locate the clues, give some guidance on how to solve the puzzle and then explain the solution if it’s still a mystery! The clues for any of the plants within a chapter can be found in any order.
I hope you enjoy Botany Manor as much as I do. Happy gardening!
Botany Manor Guide – Table of Contents
Struggling with just one plant? Can’t find the last clue? Go directly to the section you need:
Chapter 1: A Fresh Start
Windmill Wort
Chapter 2: Survivors of Adversity
Fulguria
Ash Plume
Chapter 3: Peculiar Petals
Pixie Tears
Wolfglove
Orangery Lower Floor
Chapter 4: Botanical Allies
Library Hall and Grandma’s Secret Vault
Sapphire Gloom
Nightfall
Cradle Fern
Brook Chalice
Chapter 5: Climbing Up
Springdance Shrub
Fool’s Emerald
Oscilette
Botany Manor Guide – Chapter 1: A Fresh Start
Windmill Wort
After collecting the herbarium, enter the main conservatory through the stained glass doors to start Chapter 1.
Seed packet location – on the potting table in the conservatory.
Clue 1: Postcard from Marianne – lying on the bench on the far side of the conservatory.
Clue 2: Wildflowers poster – stuck to the blackboard on the right-hand side of the conservatory.
Clue 3: Temperature Chart – stuck to the blackboard on the right-hand side of the conservatory.
Deduction: Marianne has sent a postcard saying that the windmill wort only grows there. Where is she hiking? The wildflower poster shows the type of flower a windmill wart is. The temperate chart shows the ideal soil temperatures for different types of Mediterranean flowers.
Solution: Marianne is hiking in Sicily. The windmill wort is a volcanic flower, and in Sicily, the soil needs to be 60°C to grow volcanic flowers. Use the wheel on the heat vent boiler to turn the temperature to 60°C. Place the potted windmill wort seed in the pot saucer in front of the heat vent on the bench near the postcard, and press the button to switch the heat vent on.
Return to the gatehouse to collect the key for the entrance garden gates.
Botany Manor Guide – Chapter 2: Survivors of Adversity
Fulguria
Having collected the key from the gatehouse, open the gate to the entrance garden. Enter the main hall of Botany Manor to start chapter 2.
Seed packet location – on a chair near the bottom of the grand staircase.
Clue 1: Photographs – on a table near the bottom of the grand staircase.
Clue 2: Folklore book – at the far end of the dining room.
Clue 3: Flash lamp manual – on a circular table in the drawing room.
Clue 4: Letter from Farmer – in the bureau in the drawing room.
Clue 5: Flash powder bottle (rotate to read the chemical composition) – in the bureau in the drawing room.
Deduction: The photographs show that Arabella has been taking pictures of plants. The folklore book explains that the fulguria only blooms during thunderstorms. The flash lamp manual explains
how to use the flash lamp and the letter from the farmer and the empty flash powder bottle show
Arabella was using flash photography. Is it possible to create some more flash powder?
Solution: Using the bottles in the apothecary, fill the flask with two parts potassium and one part
magnesium. Take the flask to the flash lamp and empty the contents in. Close the flash lamp
container, and with the potted fulgaria seed placed in the pot saucer in front of the screen, take a photograph.
Take the key for the back terrace out of the tray on the table near the piano in the drawing room.
If you’ve already solved the growing conditions for the ash plume, return to the gatehouse to collect the key for the orchard.
Ash Plume
Having collected the key from the gatehouse, open the gate to the entrance garden. Enter the main hall of Botany Manor to start Chapter 2.
Clue 1: Dartmoor Poster – on the wall in the screens passage.
Clue 2: Pyrophiles book – on a table in the screens passage.
Having collected the key from the drawing room, open the door to the back terrace.
Seed packet location – on a table in the rose garden, down the steps from the back terrace.
Clue 3: Seed log – on a table in the rose garden, next to the seed packet.
Take the key for the kitchen out of the tray on the wall in the viewpoint. Then, return to Botany Manor and open the door to the kitchen.
Clue 4: Cooking book – on the large centre table in the kitchen.
Clue 5: Dartmoor lecture – on a table near the wall in the far left of the kitchen.
Clue 6: Poem – on the wall in the servants’ hall.
Clue 7: Smoking book – on a table in the kitchen garden, near the smokery.
Deduction: The seed log reveals that the ash plume seed was gathered from Wistman’s Wood. The Dartmoor poster shows that Wistman’s Wood is on Dartmoor, with the Dartmoor lecture explaining how land was cleared using fire. The book about pyrophiles explains that some plants have adapted to forest fires with tough shells and the need for smoke to flower.
The cooking book explains how tough shells, like chestnuts, can be cracked open by placing them on a pan above a fire. The smoking book explains how different wood produces different smoke aromas. The poem identifies the type of trees that grow in Wistman’s Wood.
Solution: Having potted the ash plume seed, place the plant pot in the pan above the fire in the kitchen. This causes the seed to open and start to grow. Take the ash plume seedling to the smokery and place in the pot saucer on the bench, then collect some oak wood from the log pile and place it in the fire pit to get the ash plume to flower.
If you’ve already solved the growing conditions for the fulguria, return to the gatehouse to collect the key for the orchard.
Botany Manor Guide – Chapter 3: Peculiar Petals
Pixie Tears
Having collected the key from the gatehouse, open the gate to the orchard. Enter the orchard to start Chapter 3.
Seed packet location – on the bench in the shed on the right-hand side of the orchard.
Clue 1: Pot notes – on the bench in the shed of the orchard, near the seed packet.
Clue 2: Chloroplasts book – on the small, circular table under the covered area in the orchard.
Clue 3: Microscope slides (open the box and find the one for pixie tears) – on the rectangular table under the covered area in the orchard, near the microscope.
Clue 4: Apple blending – on the bench on the right-hand side of the covered area in the cider garden.
Clue 5: Cider apples – on the wall of the covered area in the cider garden.
Deduction: The chloroplasts book explains that not all plants photosynthesize but absorb sugar through their roots. The microscope slides show that the pixie tears plant doesn’t have chloroplasts. The pot notes gives the amounts of extra nutrients needed for each type of pot. The apple blending sheet lists the amounts of sugar, tannin and acid for twelve different apple varieties, with the cider apples poster helping to identify the different varieties.
Solution: A standard pot from the potting tables needs 97g of added sugar. Take the potted pixie tears seed into the cider garden and place in the pot saucer at the base of the press. No single apple produces that 97g of sugar, so using the apple blending sheet, work out which apples combine to make that amount. I chose Knobbly Russet, Cat’s Head and Merlin’s Mist, but other combinations totalling 97g will work. Using the cider apple poster, take the appropriate apples and place them on the cider press. Once all apples have been placed, turn the handle.
If you’ve already solved the growing conditions for the wolfglove, return to the gatehouse to read the letter from Elizabeth.
Wolfglove
Having collected the key from the gatehouse, open the gate to the orchard. Enter the orchard to start Chapter 3.
Clue 1: Nursery rhyme – on a table near the orchard gate.
Clue 2: Letter from builder – on a table to the left of the path towards the tower.
Clue 3: Wind research – on a table on the terrace outside the orangery.
Clue 4: Alpine weather/exploration – on a table on the terrace outside the orangery.
Take the key for the painting room out of the tray on the windowsill in the orangery.
Clue 5: Envelope with a stamp – at the end of the walkway around the upper floor of the orangery.
Clue 6: Letter about Alps (from Natty) – at the end of the walkway around the upper floor of the orangery.
Seed packet location – on the edge of the ornamental pond, on the lower floor of the orangery.
Clue 7: Coin collection (rotate the coins to see both sides) – two boxes on either side of the lower floor of the orangery.
Deduction: The nursery rhyme tells of a whistling flower, the wolfglove, which grows high on mountain tops. The letter from the builder explains how the tower is called ‘turbulent tower’ due to ferocious winds within. The tower wind research notes show how to get various wind speeds within the tower, and the Alpine weather/exploration gives the wind speeds and pressures for various mountains.
The letter from Natty tells of how they discovered a whistling flower during their Alpine expedition, with the stamp on the envelope showing where Natty was travelling. The souvenir coin collection has coins from all over Europe, showing symbols associated with different places.
Solution: Rotating the coin will show that the goat’s head and star represents the Weisshorn in Switzerland. Checking the Alpine weather/exploration chart, the Weisshorn has winds of 40 f/s. The tower wind research notebook shows this speed was reached on test 5. Take the potted wolfglove seed into the tower and place in the plant pot saucer. Move the handle once clockwise, rising to the first floor. Looking at the shutters, open the right-hand side one. Move the handle twice clockwise to get to the third floor, and open both shutters. Move the handle once clockwise to get to the fourth floor and again open both shutters.
If you’ve already solved the growing conditions for the pixie tears, return to the gatehouse to read the letter from Elizabeth.
Orangery Lower Floor
Before you can complete the wolfglove, you need to find the secret passage to get to the lower floor of the orangery. There are six clues spread out across the manor and gardens. If not already done so, collect the key out of the tray on the windowsill from the upper floor of the orangery and unlock the door to the painting room.
Clue 1: Letter from historian – on the crate at the end of the covered area in the orchard.
Clue 2: Priest holes – on the crate at the end of the covered area in the orchard.
Clue 3: Symbology book – on the table in the window of the painting room. Although not a required clue, there is also a letter from Mrs Patterson about the ancient kitchen scales on the table.
Clue 4: Manor floorplan – on the wall near the entrance to the painting room.
Clue 5: Religious blessing – on the wall under one of the windows in the kitchen.
Clue 6: Mysterious symbol – on the shelves at the end of the pantry, next to the ancient scales.
Deduction: The letter explains that priest holes are hidden, sometimes requiring elaborate mechanisms to open them. The book about priest holes explains that these secret rooms were built for catholic priests. The symbology book shows that a lamb holding a banner with a cross is a catholic symbol. The religious blessing is a gift from Nicholas Owen – is that the same Nicholas Owen who designed and built many of the priest holes? The manor floor plans show the four floors and the year of construction. The mysterious symbol on the pantry shelves looks very much like the catholic Agnus Dei symbol, and next to the shelves are the ancient scales that Mrs Patterson mentioned.
Solution: The priest’s hole is in the pantry, behind the shelves, with the mysterious symbol. To open the door, place the weights on the ancient scales in order one, five, nine, and three, the year in which Botany Manor was built.
Aside: This is one of the most luxurious priest holes I’ve encountered, more often, they are small, dark places, quite often located near the bathroom. If you wish to discover more about priest holes, Harvington Hall has some great examples.
Botany Manor Guide – Chapter 4: Botanical Allies
Library Hall and Grandma’s Secret Vault
Having read the letter from Arabella’s sister, Elizabeth, you know the code to the library hall door lock is Elizabeth’s initials. Consult the family tree painting in the main hall to find out her three initials.
Solution: Arabella’s sister is Elizabeth Ann Hopgood. Rotate the dials on the library hall lock to E, A, H.
Chapter 4 begins as you enter the library. However, before you can solve any of the growing conditions, you need to find Grandma’s secret vault.
Clue 1: Crow fable – on the table at the entrance to the library (lower floor).
Clue 2: Night sky book – on a table in the far left-hand corner of the library (lower floor).
Clue 3: Fish fable – on a table down the right-hand wall of the library (upper floor).
Clue 4: Hare fable – on a table in the first alcove to the left side of the library (upper floor).
Clue 5: Sunrise book – on a table in the second alcove to the left side of the library (upper floor).
Deduction: The wall plaques seem to represent the five books which are out in the library. There is a book about dawn and one about night, and each of the three fables starts with a time of day.
Solution: Press the plaques in order of time of day. Start with sunrise, followed by the fish, then the hare, and the crow and finally the moon.
Take the key for the study out of the tray on the desk in Grandma’s secret vault.
Sapphire Gloom
Having collected the key from the secret vault, open the door to the study.
Seed packet location – on the small table at the far side of the study.
Clue 1: Mushroom book – in the writing bureau in the bay window of the study.
Clue 2: Tree diseases – on a table near the far side of the study.
Deduction: The mushroom/fungi book explains that some mushrooms get nutrients by feedings on other types of fungus or parasite. Arabella has noted that not all mushrooms growing on trees should be removed. The tree diseases book shows that the tree in the main hall is suffering from a root parasite.
Solution: Put the potted sapphire gloom seed in the plant pot saucer at the base of the tree in the main hall.
Nightfall
You need to solve the growing conditions for the sapphire gloom before being able to grow the nightfall.
Seed packet location – on the small table at the far side of Grandma’s secret vault.
Clue 1: Grandma’s research – on a table inside Grandma’s secret vault.
Clue 2: Sunset paintings (there are eight paintings in total) – on the walls of Grandma’s secret vault.
Clue 3: Trapped fairy story – on a table in the master bedroom.
Clue 4: Trapped fairy painting – on the wall in the corridor, near the attic door.
Clue 5: Sight of plants book – on the table at the top of the stairs in the attic.
Clue 6: Trapped moths – on the table to the left in the attic stairwell.
Clue 7: Moths poster – on the wall in the attic stairwell.
Clue 8: Moth calendar – on the table below the poster in the attic stairwell.
Deduction: According to Grandma’s research, the nightfall flower only opens at sunset, but she doesn’t know at what time of year. The trapped fairy story tells of a fairy caught in a nightfall flower and the painting shows what type of wings the fairy had.
The moths poster can be used to identify the wings, and by using the moth spotting calendar, it’s possible to know which month that moth appears. The sunset paintings show what combination of colours occur at that time of year and the sight of plants book explains that some plants can ‘see’ colour and then know when to open or close their buds.
Solution: Take the potted nightfall seed to the attic and place in front of the projector screen. The trapped fairy had the wings of a garden tiger moth, which is seen in September. Using the sunset picture from September 12th, take the blue, yellow, orange and red slides from the box of slides and place them in the slide holder (starting closest to the projector). Once all four slides are in place, press the projector button.
If you’ve already solved the growing conditions for the other three flowers, return to the gatehouse to collect the key for the formal garden.
Cradle Fern
You need to solve the growing conditions for the sapphire gloom before being able to grow the cradle fern.
Seed packet location – on the writing bureau in the master bedroom.
Clue 1: Petition – in the writing bureau, in the master bedroom.
Clue 2: Fern painting – on the wall of the corridor.
Clue 3: Bird eggs – on a table at the far side of the study.
Clue 4: Letter about melodies – on the table in the room behind the bell tower stairwell.
Clue 5: Bird calls – on a table in the bell tower.
Deduction: The petition mentions that some birds have chime-like calls. The fern painting shows bird eggs nestled in the leaves, which can be identified using the bird egg display case. The letter explains that some plants respond to environmental sounds, and these can be mimicked by referring to the bird calls music book.
Solution: Take the potted cradle fern seed to the bell tower and place in the pot saucer near the bells. The bird eggs shown in the cradle fern painting match those of a crested owl. So play the call of a crested owl, by selecting the bells in the following order: E, C, D, E, G, F.
If you’ve already solved the growing conditions for the other three flowers, return to the gatehouse to collect the key for the formal garden.
Brook Chalice
You need to solve the growing conditions for the sapphire gloom before being able to grow the brook chalice.
Seed packet location – on the small table at the far side of the attic, near the rose window.
Clue 1: Letter about weeds – on a table, near the attic door.
Clue 2: Weed removal – in the bin, next to the writing bureau in the master bedroom.
Clue 3: River trust – on the wall in the bell tower stairwell.
Clue 4: Government notice – on the wall in the bell tower stairwell.
Clue 5: River poster – on the wall in the room behind the bell tower stairwell.
Clue 6: Bath geyser manual – on a table in the bathroom for the master bedroom.
Deduction: The letter from Edith tells that the brook chalice was flowering in a Somerset river. The weed removal and river trust notice explain how river weeds (including the brook chalice) are being removed to allow for swimming and this has happened in the Rivers Cam, Chew and Somer. The government notice explains that these same three rivers have been polluted by rust, due to the Iron Works, but even though the River Frome was affected, it doesn’t have rust pollution. The river poster gives useful information about some of the Somerset rivers. The bath geyser manual explains how instant hot water can be achieved.
Solution: Take the potted brook chalice seed to the bathroom off the master bedroom and place it in the pot saucer in the bath. Recreate the iron pollution, by placing the rusty pig from the attic in the bath. Fix the bath geyser by placing the T-shaped piece on the top of the vertical pipe. The curved angles fill the rest of the missing pipework, then using the wheel, set the temperature to 25°C (that of the River Frome) and turn on the tap.
If you’ve already solved the growing conditions for the other three flowers, return to the gatehouse to collect the key for the formal garden.
Botany Manor Guide – Chapter 5: Climbing Up
Springdance Shrub
Having collected the key from the gatehouse, open the gate to the formal garden. Enter the formal garden to start Chapter 5.
Seed packet location – on the small table in the folly.
Clue 1: Greeting card – on a green table, on the side terrace.
Clue 2: Growing hydrangeas – in the shed in the gardening workspace.
Clue 3: Pot catalogue – in the shed in the gardening workspace.
Clue 4: Pigment research – on a table, in the garden paths area.
Clue 5: Soil pH research – on a table, in the garden paths area.
Clue 6: Bird poster – in the building of the bird garden.
Take the key for the boat house out of the tray below the bird poster.
Clue 7: Bird seeds – in between the two entrances to the bird garden.
Deduction: The greeting card shows that the springdance shrub used to grow at Botany Manor and maybe needs adult pollination to grow. The leaflet about growing hydrangeas explains that the flowers can be different colours depending on the level of pH in the environment. The pot catalogue leaflet shows the different materials available for pots.
The soil pH and pigment research show the combination of pot and soil additives needed to produce a variety of pH values and the flower colour that would be created. But what colour was the springdance shrub? The bird poster shows that some birds are attracted to certain flower colours, and it will help identify any birds encouraged into the garden with the bird seed.
Solution: The bird seen in the garden paths area is a robin, and they pollinate red flowers. Using the pigment research, red flowers need a pH of 12-14. The soil pH research sheet shows that a sandstone pot with a seaweed additive will give soil a pH of 13.2. Using the sandstone pot from the garden shed in the garden workspace, pot up a springdance seed. At first, it will be labelled as a white springdance shrub. Place the potted seed in the pot saucer in front of the additives (also in the garden workspace), and add some seaweed. The seedling will turn red and now be labelled as a red springdance shrub.
Take the seedling to the bird garden and place it in the pot saucer on the table, in the building near to the bird poster. Collect the bird feeder in the bird garden, making sure to add some bird seed, and return to the start of the garden paths. Using the iron poles, move the two bird feeders in succession to encourage the robin down into the bird garden and the springdance shrub. Don’t get too close, or else the robin will return to its bird box!
If you’ve already solved the growing conditions for the other two flowers, return to the gatehouse to post the completed herbarium.
Fool’s Emerald
Having collected the key from the gatehouse, open the gate to the formal garden. Enter the formal garden to start Chapter 5.
Seed location – on the small table near the blackboard on the side terrace.
Clue 1: News article – on a long stool, near the picnic blanket in the formal garden.
Clue 2: Bioluminescence – on the small table near the blackboard on the side terrace.
Clue 3: Plant chemicals – stuck to the blackboard on the side terrace.
Clue 4: Note about telegraph – at the entrance to the garden workspace.
Clue 5: Military codes – on the table in the garden workspace.
Clue 6: Morse code – inside the lid of the telegraph, found at the boat house.
Deduction: The news article tells that a flashing light (Morse Code for ‘Attention’) has been seen near a cave in Cheddar. The book on bioluminescence discusses how chemicals like luciferin can cause plants to glow. The plant chemicals poster lists various wildflowers and their chemical compound. According to the note, Jimmy has left the telegraph at the boat house. He also mentions that there is a Morse Code manual inside. The military codes book lists some telegraphy abbreviations and procedural signs. According to the note about the lawn, Jimmy ran over an object near the pond.
Solution: The fool’s emerald contains luciferin, so will glow and will most likely grow in a cave. The only cave-like place is the grotto and the handle to control the water is near the lawnmower in the pond garden. Once the grotto pond is filled, go to the boathouse to collect the telegraph. Place the telegraph on the table in the grotto. Place a potted fool’s emerald seed in the pot saucer in the grotto. Using the Morse Code manual and telegraph, tap out KA (dash, dot, dash, dot, dash).
If you’ve already solved the growing conditions for the other two flowers, return to the gatehouse to post the completed herbarium.
Oscilette
Having collected the key from the gatehouse, open the gate to the formal garden. Enter the formal garden to start Chapter 5. Also needed is the key to the boat house from the building in the bird garden.
Seed location – on the windowsill on the right in the boat house.
Clue 1: How weeds spread – on the table to the left of the entrance in the boat house.
Clue 2: Playing cards – on the table in the centre of the boat house.
Clue 3: Boardgame rules (rotate to read all the rules) – on the table in the centre of the boat house.
Clue 4: Animal heartbeats – on the table on the far side of the boat house.
Deduction: The weeds and seeds book explains that the oscilette seed is spread by animals taking it back to their nest and once the animal is asleep, the seed sprouts. The deck of playing cards shows the kind of food card an oscilette seed is. The board game rules (reverse side) show the animals associated with the different food cards. The animal heartbeats book lists both the awake and asleep heartbeat rates.
Solution: The oscilette seed is a field type, and the only animal linked to that is a red squirrel. The animal heartbeats book gives the beats per minute for a red squirrel as 300 when awake and 120 when asleep. The weeds and seeds book says that the plant sprouts once the animal is asleep. Take the potted oscilette seed and place in the pot saucer near the phonograph. Find a record which plays at 120 BPM (rotate to read the details on the back of the cannister). Place the Meadow’s Bliss record into the phonograph and turn the handle.
If you’ve already solved the growing conditions for the other two flowers, return to the gatehouse to post the completed herbarium.
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