Getting Started

Welcome to the world of Strange Horticulture! You are now the owner of a horticulture shop that was passed on to you after your uncle passed away.

> *"Find and identify new plants, pet your cat, speak to a coven, or join a cult. Use your collection of powerful plants to influence the story and unravel Undermere’s dark mysteries."*
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Upon starting a new game, you will find a drawer on the right side of the desktop that can be opened, which contains multiple different tools. This includes *The Strange Book of Plants*, a magnifying glass, a map, labels, and more. This drawer will also be where you can store any notes you may find (ex: Simone's letter on Day 1).

Your workspace is the main area in the center, and your plants can be found on the greenhouse shelves at the top. Hovering a cursor near the left or right edge of the shelves will scroll in the given direction.

Customers will appear in the top right corner when you tap on the bell.

On the left are another three main features of the game - exploration, inspection, and introspection. (Just kidding, it's rising dread.)

On the shelf, mixed in with the plants, a watering can is found: using the can to water the plants can grant small amounts of 'Will to Explore'.

**Exploration**

* The protagonist can go explore a place on the map when this meter is completely filled up. This feature is not unlocked until the protagonist either opens a letter or opens the map from the cabinet.

**Inspection**

* A plant can be examined more closely with this feature. Click on it and drag a plant to the circle that pops up to look at it in more detail. The protagonist will also provide some extra information about the plant.

**Rising Dread**

* Rising Dread is a value you want to keep low - giving a customer the wrong plant or visiting certain locations will raise your dread level by 1. The total amount of dread is 3, which fills the meter. If the meter is completely filled, the protagonist's mind will be 'broken'. You will be able to restore the sanity of the protagonist by completing a puzzle, but this also restarts the day from the beginning.

**Tips**

* If a plant is too small or a letter too hard to read, try using A Closer Inspection, the magnifying glass, or zooming in by scrolling upwards.
* When you identify a new plant, label it!
* In settings (click the gear in the top right) you can turn on **auto-labeling**, which will automatically label plants you identify for you.
* When trying to identify a plant, don't just look at the plant - use the Inspection feature and refer to *The Strange Book of Plants*.
* If a customer asks for a plant you think you don't have, check *The Strange Book of Plants*. A plant may go by a nickname, or its scientific name.
* Pay attention to the special functions of the plants! Some have special features, such as warding off cold, or may be harmful, such as causing skin rashes.

**Trivia**

* In the original version of the demo, failing to manage your dread was an instant game-over. Several players complained about this feature and so in the subsequent update puzzles were added as a way of circumventing frustration.

A filled Will to Explore gauge.A Closer Inspection gauge.An empty Rising Dread gauge.The magnifying glass.The old sprite for labels.The watering can, found on the shelf.