Visiting Professor Sprout’s Hogwarts Greenhouse at Harry Potter Studios

Hey witches and wizards, did you know that you can now take a Hogwarts Greenhouse Herbology class in London?

That’s right, the Harry Potter studio tour has opened its Hogwarts Greenhouse for the first time.

You can step inside this house of magical plants and have a go at pulling your very own screaming Mandrake.

As this is the set they used in the films, it will really feel like you’ve stepped into the world of Harry Potter.

Here is how to visit Professor Sprout’s Hogwarts Greenhouse at Harry Potter Studios London & what to expect.

What is the Hogwarts Greenhouse in Harry Potter?

If you’re a Potterhead, you probably don’t need an introduction to the Hogwarts Greenhouse.

But I’ll give one anyway if you haven’t read the books or seen the movies in a while. 

The Hogwarts Greenhouses are where Hogwarts students would visit to learn about Herbology with a witch called Professor Pomona Sprout.

The greenhouses are decorated with serpentine dragons and have plenty of magical and deadly plants inside.

You’ll find Mandrakes, Venomous Tentacula, and Snargaluffs.

The Hogwarts Greenhouse at Harry Potter Studios London

For the very first time, you can now step into Professor Sprout’s Hogwarts Greenhouse at the Warner Brothers studio tour in London.

They have recovered the real greenhouse featured in the movies and held the famous Herbology class.

So, you can have a go at pulling out a screaming mandrake.

It opened as part of their temporary Mandrakes and Magical Creatures event, but the Harry Potter Studios greenhouse is now a permanent feature of the studio tour. 

It’s a magical experience on the tour, and you can create some wizarding photos and videos whilst you’re here. 

Where is the Hogwarts Greenhouse in Harry Potter Studios?

You’ll find the Harry Potter Studios greenhouse around halfway through the tour in their Backlot area.

This is just outside of the Backlot café where they serve up some Butterbeer, Butterbeer Ice cream, and a hot lunch.

You can enter from the far corner near the Knight Bus, or you’ll find the entrance just after you leave 4 Privet Drive.

Don’t forget to appreciate the incredible detail on the Hogwarts Greenhouse from the outside before you go in.

You’ll find serpentine Dragon ornaments and vines that make it look so pretty.

It was honestly a dream come true to see this place in real life, as the Hogwarts Greenhouse is one of my favourite areas of Hogwarts.

I particularly love the scenes in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince when Harry catches Slughorn stealing Tentacula leaves.

What’s inside Professor Sprout’s Hogwarts Greenhouse?

As the Hogwarts Greenhouse is the real set they used in the movies, as soon as you walk in, you will feel like you’ve stepped into Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. 

You’ll see the lanterns, magical potted plants, mandrakes, gardening tools, and even the Venomous Tentacula.

There are mannequins of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, Neville, and Professor Sprout inside with the costumes they wore in Herbology class.  

You’ll be able to hear Hermione reciting her expert description of the Mandrake, or Mandragora.

Plus, Professor Sprout giving some directions on how to pull your Mandrake out.

Remember, a Mandrake’s cry is fatal to anyone who hears it, so be careful not to get knocked out when pulling.  

Pull your very own Mandrake in Professor Sprout’s Herbology class

I have always dreamed of attending a class with Professor Sprout and potting my very own Mandrake, so I was so happy to make this a reality.

You’ll hear the sounds of Professor Sprout guiding you throughout, and it will feel like you’re in your very own Hogwarts Herbology class. 

There are around 10 mandrakes all in a row that you can pull up from their soil pots. As soon as you pull one, it makes that awful screeching sound.

Honestly, we were wondering how the staff can stand listening to that sound all day, but I think they take it in small shifts.

Make sure to take lots of photos and videos of you pulling a mandrake.

House points will be awarded if you bring your own ear muffs for auditory protection to recreate the scene (joking but not really). 

Tips for the Harry Potter Studios Greenhouse

• Bring your own earmuffs – The earmuffs I wore aren’t provided at the tour, so if you want to recreate the scene, make sure to purchase some.

• There are plenty of Mandrakes – There are around 10 mandrakes in the greenhouse to pull, so you don’t need to queue.

• Don’t pull too hard – someone managed to rip off a leaf here on my visit – eek. Don’t pull too hard, as they are very easy to pull up.

• Be patient – if you want more empty photos/videos of the Hogwarts Greenhouse, make sure to bring patience.

Mandrakes and Magical Creatures event 

I visited the Harry Potter Studios Greenhouse in London as part of their Mandrakes and Magical Creatures event.

They had the Hogwarts Choir on display in The Great Hall, where you could see the Frog Choir playing their part. 

They also had the Cornish Pixies torturing Neville, Dumbledore’s beloved Fawkes, Luna with the Thestrals, and the Troll costume.

There were also lots of displays of magical creatures, and you could even make your very own Origami Howler.

It was a temporary event that has finished now. But I do hope that they bring it back, as it was so cool to experience.

Harry Potter Studios Backlot Tour

I went on the Harry Potter Studios tour 3 times last year, and I said I wouldn’t go back unless something significant came along.

Well, Warner Bros. surprised me. Not only with the Hogwarts Greenhouse, but also with three other new things in the Backlot Tour. 

You’ll find an extended Number 4 Privet Drive where Harry lived with the Dursleys.

You can visit the Hogwarts Fountain from the Clocktower Courtyard, and a scale model of the Weasleys’ Burrow.

Extended Number 4 Privet Drive 

They have been working on something exciting at 4 Privet Drive for a while now, and it’s finally been revealed.

They have completely extended the house so you not only can see the lounge filled with Hogwarts Acceptance Letters but also enter the Kitchens.

They have recreated the iconic scene when Harry Potter blows up Aunt Marge. The attention to detail here was ridiculously good.

You’ll hear sounds from the Dursleys as well as see their leftover dinner on the plates.

When you step outside, you can even see their garden/conservatory.  

Now, all we need is the upstairs where we can see Harry’s bedroom when he meets Dobby.

Hogwarts Fountain

Another new feature in the Backlot Tour that I haven’t seen was the Hogwarts Fountain just outside the Hogwarts Greenhouse.

It’s the fountain set from the Hogwarts Courtyard or the Clocktower Courtyard that we see many times in the Harry Potter movies. 

You’ll remember it from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban when Harry can’t go to Hogsmeade.

Also, in the Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, and Deathly Hallows (although it was damaged by Death Eaters then). 

There aren’t any vine-covered cloisters here to join it (yet), which would have been so cool. But definitely a great photo opportunity on the tour. 

The Weasley’s Burrow

“It’s not much, but it’s home” . I was so happy to finally get to see the Weasleys’ Burrow on my visit to Harry Potter Studios London.

Of course, you can see the inside of The Burrow on the studio’s tour. But this is a model of the whole house in the Backlot area. 

If you didn’t know, it’s a 1:3 scale model of the Weasleys’ Burrow, and it’s honestly so sweet. Make sure to grab a photo with The Burrow.

Hogwarts Bridge & Knight Bus

If you were panicking that the Hogwarts Bridge and Knight Bus have been replaced, don’t be; they are here to stay.

The Hogwarts Bridge is in the same place, but the Knight Bus has shifted slightly to make way for the Weasleys’ Burrow. 

The only thing I noticed that has gone is Bathilda Bagshot’s house from Godric’s Hollow. 

You’ll also still find the cool photo opportunities of the Ford Anglia and Hagrid’s motorcycle, but they have also shifted slightly over.

More Magic in Warner Brothers Studios London

The Harry Potter Studios tour in London is a must-visit for any Potterhead, regardless of whether there is a special event happening or not.

It has hundreds of props, costumes, and sets that were used in all eight of the Harry Potter movies.

They are constantly adding new pieces to the exhibition and switching things around throughout the year. So, there’s always a reason to go back.

Here is a small selection of the magical things you can see and do at the Warner Brothers Studio Tour in London;

• Visit Hogwarts Great Hall

• Bow to Buckbeak in the Forbidden Forest

• Walk down Diagon Alley

• Fly on your very own broomstick

• Visit Snape’s Potions Class

• Board the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 and 3/4

• Drink Butterbeer

• Walk down Gringotts Bank 

• Visit Bellatrix’s Vault 

• See the Hogwarts Castle replica used in the movies

Try a Harry Potter afternoon tea at the studios

Another reason why we wanted to visit Harry Potter Studios London again was to try their brand new afternoon tea.

You can sit under the floating candles of Hogwarts Great Hall and indulge in a high tea inspired by the Wizarding World. 

You do need to book tickets to the studios to try it, and it costs £60 for two, which we thought was a bargain for a London afternoon tea.

How much are tickets to Harry Potter Studios in London? 

To visit the Hogwarts Greenhouse at Harry Potter Studios, you will have to pay for a regular tour ticket.

Tickets start from £49.95 per person for adults, and child tickets are £39.95.

There are family tickets available for £159.95. All tickets must be booked in advance. 

There are packages which include a hotel stay, deluxe tours, afternoon teas, and more. So, make sure to browse.

How to get to Harry Potter Studios in London

If you’re driving, the Warner Brothers Studio Tour can be found in Leavesden near Watford.

You can easily drive here from London by taking the M4 or M1 motorway and then switching to the M25.

There is free parking available for everyone who booked a tour.

If you’re not driving, you can take the Warner Brothers Studio shuttle bus from Watford Junction station. 

Take a train from London Euston (20 minutes) and then the shuttle bus from Watford Junction (15 minutes) to the studios.

Looking for more Harry Potter filming locations in London?

There are plenty more locations that you can seek out if you’re a Potterhead in London.

You can visit King’s Cross Station to see Platform 9 3/4 and the Harry Potter Shop. 

Plus, there are many Harry Potter locations in this area. You can visit the Order of the Phoenix HQ or the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel.

There is also the House of MinaLima and The Cursed Child performances at the Palace Theatre.

Or, you can visit some of the inspirations for Diagon Alley like Cecil Court and Goodwin’s Court.

Talking of Diagon Alley, one of my favourite locations I visited has to be Leadenhall Market.

A gorgeous Victorian wonder that featured as the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley.

You can head into St Paul’s Cathedral to see its Geometric Staircase that was the Divination Stairwell at Hogwarts. 

I would then catch the tube to the River Thames to see the Millennium Bridge, Tower Bridge, London City Hall, and Borough Market.

Read more of my Harry Potter blog posts

Visit the Deathly Hallows filming location at Malham Cove

Harry Potter filming locations in Oxford

How to visit Hogsmeade Station in real life

How to spend a night in Hagrid’s Hut

How to visit the real Godric’s Hollow in Lavenham

A complete Forbidden Forest Experience review

Harry Potter locations in Lacock

Harry Potter filming locations in Alnwick Castle

Harry Potter locations in Edinburgh

All the Harry Potter filming locations in Scotland

Where to find Harry Potter in York

How to find the Harry Potter Tree at Blenheim Palace

The Shop That Must Not Be Named Review

How to find Dobby’s Grave in Wales

Harry Potter filming locations in Gloucester Cathedral

How to see the Hogwarts Express in Scotland

How to visit Dumbledore’s Grave in Scotland

Visiting Malfoy Manor in Real life! 

Where to find Tom Riddle’s grave in Edinburgh

Visiting the Quidditch Town of Tutshill Tornados

Harry Potter locations in Exeter along with Gandy Street and the Room of Requirement

Virginia Water – the Other Hogwarts Lake

Instagram locations at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

How to visit Hagrid’s Hut in Scotland

How to visit the Harry Potter Waterfall in Scotland

Harry Potter filming locations at Durham Cathedral

Celebrating Back to Hogwarts Day at King’s Cross Station

Save the Harry Potter Studios Greenhouse London for later