Early on in your journey through Dead Cells, you’ll encounter a series of three doors that require Gardener’s Keys to unlock. The hunt for these keys makes up one of the game’s first optional sidequests, but they come back into play much later on in a different quest as well, giving these keys utility all game long. This makes knowing how to get the Gardener’s Keys in Dead Cells extremely valuable indeed.

For this reason, we’ve put together the following handy guide on doing just that. Roll up your sleeves, because it’s time for a spot of gardening.

How to unearth the three Gardener’s Keys in Dead Cells

Prerequisites

Before you get started with this quest, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. Firstly, all three Gardener’s Keys can be found in the Promenade of the Condemned, a second-tier biome that can be accessed from the Prisoners’ Quarters. Next, in order to get all three Gardener’s Keys, you’ll need to have collected two specific ability Runes: the Ram Rune, which lets you slam down onto the ground, and the Spider Rune, which lets you run up and cling to walls. If you don’t have these Runes yet, they can be found in the Ossuary and Slumbering Sanctuary biomes, respectively.

Gardener’s Key 1 – In a secret underground chamber

Now that the prerequisites are out of the way, we can get to the keys proper. As mentioned above, begin by heading to the Promenade of the Condemned biome. The first key can be found in a hidden chamber underground, accessible via use of the Ram Rune. To find this chamber, keep your eyes peeled for the glowing orange rune that indicates the ground can be broken with a slam as you move through the biome. Once you see it, slam through it to arrive in the chamber with the first Gardener’s Key, and a teleportation rock to bring you back to the surface.

Gardener’s Key 2 – Under the lonely rose

The second Gardener’s Key is the most cryptic of the lot, and requires keen eyes to track down. To get it, you’ll need to find a lone red rose, sitting somewhere on the surface level of the biome. Once you’ve tracked down this elusive bloom, slam down onto it with the Ram Rune. When you do, the rose should begin to speak, protesting your attempts to uproot it. Ignore this, slam the rose two more times, and the second Gardener’s Key should appear next to you.

Gardener’s Key 3 – At the top of the tower

The last Gardener’s Key is the most straightforward to find. Somewhere on the surface of the biome, you’ll come across a narrow tower with two doors. Climb this tower, leaping from wall to wall using the Spider Rune, and you’ll find the third Gardener’s Key waiting for you at the top. Grab it to complete your set.

Your rewards

Now that you have all three Gardener’s Keys, you can claim your hard-earned rewards. You may have passed it already during your search for the keys, but somewhere in the Promenade of the Condemned there is a structure with three locked doors, each requiring a Gardener’s Key to open. Unlock all three, and you’ll find the blueprint for the Explosive Crossbow waiting for you at the top. On subsequent runs, these three doors will remain open, and the Explosive Crossbow Blueprint will be replaced by a random weapon and a gem you can sell for gold.

The Gardener’s Keys also play a vital role in a later side quest, involving Moonflower Keys and a powerful Mutation, but that’s another guide for another day. For now, you know how to get the Gardener’s Keys in Dead Cells, and you can enjoy the rewards that ensue from doing so.