Easily the largest room(s) in the department, the Environmental Greenhouses are where the Botanists spend all of there time when not filling out paperwork at their desks. The first thing you notice when stepping through the sliding door, is that the structure of the greenhouses is completely different than the rest of level four. The ceiling is raised, and the center walls are made of fiberglass panels, including the one you just walked through. The floors that support these walls are made of cement that's usually covered in bits of soil, and plant debris that surprisingly never gets tracked into the work room.

Over all, the greenhouses resemble a sun porch, with a small-ish area set aside at first entry for the employees of this department to take their breaks. This small section is charmed so that the temperature always resembles that of the workroom and is separated from the greenhouses by a second set of sliding doors. Beyond these doors, the greenhouse is separated into several rooms large enough to hold the numerous plants.

Magical and muggle plants are literally everywhere in each separate room. Some hang potted from the ceiling, a few are on shelves attached to the walls, but most are either on the few greenhouse benches pushed up against the walls and in the center, or planted in the rectangular spaces in the cement flooring. Not all of the benches contain growing plants, some areas of the greenhouse are set aside for potions related work. The furthest greenhouse has only two work benches and no shelves; all if it's plants either grow from the ground or against the walls, some even float.

Flameless lanterns made specifically for greenhouse usage float about the rooms, not only providing adequate lighting for the employees but also 'food' for some of the plants. Rune symbols are etched into the tables and work like muggle heating pads for the plants. Don't worry, you won't be harmed only the plants are able to feel the heat emitted from the runes.

If you keep walking through the second set of sliding doors and eventually third, you'll pass through the other two greenhouses that house the more dangerous and larger magical and muggle plants. The third being the one that houses the all the trees and plants of the like. This room also houses a secret passageway that's well hidden somewhere behind the trees and vines. It's a secret that's well kept, as the Environmental employees aren't even aware of it's existence. The only ones outside of the Department Head that are aware of it's existence are the MLE, A&C and Mysteries Department Heads, and the Minister of Magic himself. Well, and whoever the MLE Head has told.

The nifty sliding doors are only ever locked when the Ministry is closed, and can be accessed during the day by a mundane spell that charms the doors to 'slide open'. Numerous protection charms are sent on the greenhouses, some are only activated when the ministry is closed or when the Department is empty, and others are simply there to protect the plants.

The constantly changing temperature in the large rooms, each always varying by room can quickly become unbearable if your not wearing one of the charmed work robes that hang with the rest of the supplies, maybe that's the first thing you notice when entering? And if your not, it probably means you shouldn't be in the greenhouse. While the greenhouse is used mainly by the Departments botanists, other divisions will occasionally make use of the large room with the permission of the Department Head.

Don't bother looking for the source of the ever changing temperature, ventilation, breeze that blows through when it gets too hot, and mist that often fogs the rooms when not in use. You'll never find them.

OOC: The Experimental Greenhouse is only freely accessible to those who's job requires them to work in them (ie. Botanist, Caretakers, Head Oceanologist). All other Environmental workers and other departments need to first seek permission from the department head to make use of the greenhouses for any reason. Those who don't have any business here should be prepared to face the consequences should they be caught.