What is the difference between the Chantry Garden and the Herb Garden upgrade in Skyhold?

Question

I want to upgrade the garden in Skyhold, but the descriptions are a bit too vague for me. The chantry garden upgrade is described to bring "a potential resource gain from the inspired, including gold from tithes" and the herb garden "allows more herbs to be harvested".

I'd like to know how exactly the two options differ in the end.

If I choose the chantry garden:
- Can I still grow herbs, and if so, how many?
- What exactly is the "potential resource gain" and how frequent and useful is it (Do you get rare upgrade material or just commong things like iron)?
- How frequently and in what amount do you get the money from tithes?

If I choose the herb garden:
- How many herbs can I grow there?
- Do they grow faster, or is there any other herb growing advantage compared to the chantry garden?
- Does it offer any other advantages?

Answer 1

You can find this information on the Dragon Age wiki on the "Major Upgrades" page.

If you choose the Herb garden :

• you have six pots instead of two to grow your plants, meaning you can grow up to six at the same time
• they do not grow faster nor is there any other advantage over the Chantry garden ; though if you craft a lot of potions or want to go for the Botanist achievement (harvesting 50 plants from Skyhold garden), it is much more convenient
• you get a codex entry for Skyhold Garden

If you choose the Chantry garden :

• you keep your two herb pots, meaning you can still grow herbs, only slower
• you get a Chantry Banner crown

• you get a codex entry for Skyhold Garden

  The "resource gain from the inspired" and "gold from tithes" refer to three war table missions that get unlocked:

• a War Table operation called "The Archive of Montfort", which rewards you with a Masterwork Balanced Pommel (reward info found on SegmentNext, not the wiki) and is faster when completed by Josephine
• a War Table operation called "Tithe of the Faithful"
• a War Table operation called "Eyes of the Maker", which rewards you with a Gold Bracelet

Despite that, the upgrade is mostly a cosmetic one. The benefits gained from one or the other garden are minimal at best.

Answer 2

There are certain game options only available to an Inquisitor that embraces being a religious figure (for example, being able to convince the Grey Warden Ser Ruth to accept forgiveness in the Skyhold Judgement). The Chantry Garden war table missions are one such option.

If you have the Chantry garden and are a "faithful" Inquisitor, you will unlock a few war table missions. If you're not "faithful" (you've said in conversation you weren't saved by divine intervention etc) those missions won't unlock even if you have the Chantry upgrade.

Answer 3

The Herb garden gives you 6 pots to grow herbs. The Chantry garden gives you 2 pots for herbs. They grow at the same speed.

This is all the information I've been able to discover by playing. I have not seen any reference any "resource gain" by playing.

Answer 4

If choose the chantry garden: - Can I still grow herbs, and if so, how many?

Yes you still can grow herbs from the 2 pots. (1 in each pot)

What exactly is the "potential resource gain" and how frequent and useful is it (Do you get rare upgrade material or just commong things like iron)?

It's suppose to give gold from followers, but I have found no way to get that gold ...

• How frequently and in what amount do you get the money from tithes?

See last answer ...

If I choose the herb garden: - How many herbs can I grow there?

You pass from 2 pots to 6 pots.

• Do they grow faster, or is there any other herb growing advantage compared to the chantry garden?

Not that I noticed...

• Does it offer any other advantages?

There is an achievement to gather 50 herbs in the herb garden in one playthrough.

-EDIT- It is not needed to have the Herbs garden for this achievement, but it is way easier with 6 pots.

Reference Link

I would go with the Herbs Garden, but you can still choose. Have fun!