Gardens in the Wizarding World serve various purposes, ranging from the mundane cultivation of flowers and vegetables to the specialized growing of magical plants for Potions ingredients and Herbology study. These spaces often reflect the personality and values of their owners, from the wild, chaotic comfort of the Weasley family's garden to the oppressive neatness of the Dursleys' suburban plot. They can be places of sanctuary, sources of vital magical components, or simply a backdrop for significant events in the lives of witches and wizards.
A number of distinct gardens feature prominently throughout the Harry Potter series.
The garden at The Burrow is large and untamed, reflecting the Weasley family's relaxed and warm nature. It features a large lawn that requires frequent “de-gnoming,” a task often assigned to the Weasley children and Harry Potter. The garden is home to a murky green pond full of frogs and is bordered by gnarled trees. Various plants, some magical, grow in abundance, including what Arthur Weasley believed to be a Fanged Geranium (PS6). The family's chickens also roam freely. The garden served as the location for Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding reception, where a large marquee was erected by magic (DH8). For Harry, it represented a place of belonging and happy summer memories.
In stark contrast to the Weasleys' garden, the garden at Number Four, Privet Drive is a monument to Petunia Dursley's obsession with order and appearances. It is described as being very neat, with carefully tended flowerbeds full of begonias and hydrangeas, and a perfectly striped lawn that Vernon Dursley maintains with great pride (CS1, OP1). The garden is a key setting for several events, including Dobby's Hover Charm incident, which was witnessed by neighbors from their gardens (CS2). Harry Potter often sought refuge on the garden bench during the summer, and it was in the flowerbed under the living room window that he overheard news about the escape of Sirius Black (PA2).
The Greenhouses at Hogwarts are where students take their Herbology lessons. There are at least three greenhouses, each with different environmental enchantments to suit the needs of the plants within. These gardens are vital for the school's supply of Potions ingredients. Notable plants cultivated here include screaming Mandrakes, writhing Devil's Snare, self-fertilising Puffapods, and the dangerous Venomous Tentacula (CS6, HBP14). The greenhouses are a key part of a student's magical education, teaching them how to handle and utilize a wide array of magical flora.
The garden surrounding the Lovegood house reflects the family's quirky and unconventional nature. A crooked path is lined with bizarre plants, and a pair of gnarled crab-apple trees are infested with Mistletoe. The most distinctive feature is an archway of Dirigible Plum trees, which grow peculiar orange, radish-like fruits that are believed to enhance one's ability to accept the extraordinary (DH20). A sign on the gate, “THE QUIBBLER. EDITOR: X. LOVEGOOD,” is supported by two of these plums.