Cottage Garden Game Rules

Welcome to Cottage Garden, a delightful board game that will transport you to a charming garden filled with beautiful flowers and vibrant colors. In this game, I invite you to join me on a journey of creativity and strategic thinking as we design and cultivate our own flower gardens. Allow me to introduce you to the rules of this whimsical game, so you can jump right in and start playing!

Objective

Your objective in Cottage Garden is to create the most picturesque and well-designed flower garden. By strategically arranging flower tiles and filling your garden beds, you can earn points and win the game.

Components

To play Cottage Garden, you will need the following components:

– A game board depicting a garden divided into different plots.

– A supply of flower tiles, each displaying a unique combination of flowers and pots.

– Polyomino pieces, representing pots, which will be used to cover the flower tiles.

– Seed tokens, which you’ll use to track your progress.

– A scoring track, where you can keep score throughout the game.

Gameplay

Playing Cottage Garden is easy and enjoyable. You start by placing a pot on each flower tile that sits atop a flowerpot on the game board. After that, more flower tiles will be added to the available spaces on the garden plots.

On your turn, you must choose two flower tiles from the available selection. You may pick any two tiles, but keep in mind that there is a catch – the tiles on the top right corner of each plot cannot be chosen until all other tiles in that plot have been taken.

Once you have chosen your flower tiles, you will place them on your personal player board. The goal is to fill as many flower beds as possible by covering them with your pot pieces. You can rotate the pots and arrange them in any way you like, as long as they fit within the garden beds. Be strategic in your placement, as filling a flower bed completely will earn you extra points.

Throughout the game, you will also have the opportunity to plant flower seeds. Seeds will grant you special abilities and additional points at the end of the game, so make sure to use them wisely.

Scoring

Scoring in Cottage Garden is based on how well you have designed and filled your flower beds, as well as the number of seed tokens you have collected. Points are awarded for completed flower beds and for certain arrangements of flower tiles. The player with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

Conclusion

Now that you have a solid understanding of the Cottage Garden game rules, it’s time to let your creativity blossom and design your very own beautiful flower garden. Whether you are a seasoned gardener or a newcomer to the world of flowers, Cottage Garden offers an immersive and engaging experience that will captivate and delight players of all ages. So grab your pot pieces, choose your flower tiles, and let the gardening adventure begin!

Imagine a beautiful Cottage Garden, bursting with vibrant flowers and surrounded by charming walls, paths, and hedges. As a passionate gardener, you face the delightful challenge of filling every nook and cranny of your garden with different plants, using the limited space to create stunning compositions. You have an array of plants at your disposal, as well as flowerpots and plant covers, to bring diversity and beauty to every corner. And don’t forget to be kind to the cats!

Let’s take a closer look at what’s included in this exciting game:

– A double-sided Nursery game board that sets the stage for your gardening adventures.

– 36 Flower Tiles, which can be arranged like puzzle pieces to create stunning flowerbeds.

– 9 Flowerbeds, each with a light and dark side, allowing for endless design possibilities.

– A green large Gardener die that determines which actions you can take.

– A large round cardboard Parasol token that adds a touch of whimsy to your garden.

– 30 round cardboard Cat tokens, because cats and gardens go hand in hand!

– 16 round cardboard Flowerpot tokens, perfect for adding pops of color to your garden.

– 2 cardboard Beehive tokens that bring a buzz of activity to your garden.

– 4 Planting Tables with scoring tracks, one for each player, to keep track of your gardening achievements.

Now, armed with these components, it’s time to let your creativity bloom and create the most breathtaking Cottage Garden imaginable. Get ready to immerse yourself in the world of gardening and experience the joy of cultivating your very own floral masterpiece. Happy gardening!

Did you know that there’s a game called Flowerpot Scoring? In this game, you’ll find 12 orange Flowerpot Scoring Cubes and 12 blue Plant Cover Scoring Cubes. Each player gets 3 of each color. There’s also a cardboard “Wheelbarrow” and a set of game rules to guide you.

The objective of the game is to score points by strategically placing your cubes on the wheelbarrow. It’s all about finding the right balance to maximize your score.

To play, simply take turns placing your Flowerpot Scoring Cubes on the wheelbarrow. You can stack them on top of each other or spread them out, but be careful not to tip the wheelbarrow over! Each cube you add will earn you points, so choose wisely.

Additionally, you can use your Plant Cover Scoring Cubes to protect your Flowerpot Scoring Cubes and block your opponents from getting points. It’s a game of strategy and tactics.

So, if you’re looking for a fun and challenging game that will keep you engaged, Flowerpot Scoring is worth a try. Gather your friends or family, set up the wheelbarrow, and let the competition begin! Enjoy the thrill of trying to outwit your opponents as you stack and strategize.

With Flowerpot Scoring, you’ll experience the excitement of a game that combines skill, strategy, and a touch of luck. It’s a game that will keep you coming back for more.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab your cubes, set up the wheelbarrow, and get ready to show off your scoring skills. Let the Flowerpot Scoring adventure begin!

Getting Ready for the First Game

First, take out all the cardboard pieces from their punchboards. Be careful not to damage them.

The Wheelbarrow has two parts: the body and the wheel. Start by folding the front part of the body, then the sides, and finally the back. After that, you can put in the front wheel.

What You’re Trying to Do in the Game

Welcome to the world of gardening! In this game, you’ll get to show off your gardening skills by planting flowers in two Flowerbeds at a time.

The goal is to fill up the Flowerbeds completely. Once a Flowerbed is full, it will be scored, and a new empty Flowerbed will take its place.

Each Flowerbed has Flower Pots and Plant Covers. You earn points for every Flower Pot and Plant Cover that is visible on a completed Flowerbed. Keep track of your points by marking them on the scoring tracks.

As the game progresses, you’ll need to choose which Flowerbeds to focus on. It’s all about investing your energy wisely and picking the most promising Flowerbeds.

Remember, the player with the highest score at the end of the game will be the ultimate gardening champion!

Getting Started

Setting Up the Game Board

Hey there! Let’s set up the game board for a fun round of Gardener’s Delight, shall we? Here’s what you need to do:

Preparing the Nursery

First things first, place the Nursery in the middle of the playing area. Make sure to use the side that matches the number of players you have. If you have 1-3 players, use one side, and if you have 4 players, use the other side. You can find this information on the starting Gardener space on each side of the board. And oh, don’t forget to leave enough space on one side of the Nursery for the Flower Tiles. Think of it as leaving room for a mini garden!

Getting the Flower Tiles and Wheelbarrow

Now it’s time to add some color to your Nursery! Take the 16 Flower Tiles, and place them randomly in the empty spaces in the Nursery. Just one tile per space will do the trick.

But wait, there’s more! You still have 20 Flower Tiles left. Let’s create a “queue” for them next to the Nursery. Mix them up and place them in a random order. Then, place the Wheelbarrow at one end of the queue. Consider it a starting point for all those beautiful flowers.

Player Components

Lastly, let’s make sure everyone has what they need. Each player will receive a Planting Table. On this table, they should place 3 orange Scoring Cubes and 3 blue Scoring Cubes on the starting space. This will be their little patch of gardening heaven.

So, here’s the deal: each of us draws 2 Flowerbeds, then we put them next to our Planting Table. Make sure one shows the light side and the other shows the dark side. Oh, and don’t forget to grab 2 Cats too.

Introducing Cat & Co.

Now, let’s put all the leftover Flowerbeds, along with the Parasol, the remaining Cats, the Flowerpots, and the Beehives on the other side of our Nursery. Make sure the light sides of the Flowerbeds are showing.

The Gardener’s Role

The Gardener gets a value of “1” (if there are 1-2 players, use a value of “2”). You can find the Gardener chilling on the starting space in the Nursery.

Okay, everything else goes back in the box. We’re ready to play!

Let’s Get Started

Hey there! I’m here to explain how to play a super cool game that can be enjoyed by 2 to 4 players. If you’re flying solo, don’t worry, I’ve got rules for that too! Let’s dive right in.

So, in this game, players take turns going clockwise. And guess what? The person who hasn’t weeded a garden recently gets to go first! Ain’t that something?

Now, a turn has four parts, and you gotta follow ’em in order. Ready? Here they are:

1. Refilling phase
2. Planting phase
3. Scoring phase
4. Gardener phase

I. Refilling Phase

This is where things get interesting. You gotta check the Nursery spaces in the row or column where the Gardener is. You can even check in a diagonal if you’re playing with four players. Let’s call this row the Gardener Row.

Now, if there are three or four empty spaces in the Gardener Row, it’s time to get down to business. You gotta fill ’em up with Flower Tiles from the queue. No empty spaces allowed!

Here’s how you fill up the Gardener Row:

1. First, grab the Flower Tile from the front of the Wheelbarrow queue and place it on the empty spot closest to the Gardener on the Gardener Row.
2. Next, push the Wheelbarrow forward to reveal the next Flower Tile in the queue. Take that Tile and put it on the next open spot closest to the Gardener on the Gardener Row.
3. Repeat this process a few more times, depending on how many empty spots there are on the Gardener Row.

Here’s an example where three empty spaces are found in the Gardener Row, indicating the order in which it should be filled.

If there are only 1 or 2 empty spaces in the Gardener Row, you have the option to sacrifice one Cat to fill those spaces. This means you can place the Flowers Tiles from the queue in those empty spaces, just as we discussed earlier. But remember, this special action is only allowed if you sacrifice a Cat and return it to the reserve next to the Nursery.

II. Time to Plant

During the planting phase, you have two options:

1. Take a Flower Tile
2. Take a Flowerpot

You cannot skip this phase.

A) Taking Flower Tiles

Choose a Flower Tile from the Gardener Row.

Right away, place the Flower Tile on one of your Flowerbeds.

(If you can’t do this, you can’t take the tile. Instead, you must take a Flower Pot and immediately place it.)

Here, you can choose from the highlighted Flower Tiles.

The Rules for Planting Flowers

You can flip over and rotate the Flower Tiles in any direction you want. But remember, you can’t put Flower Tiles on top of or overlapping other Flower Tiles.

The Flower Tiles should not stick out over the edge of a Flowerbed. Once you place a Flower Tile, you can’t move it later. It stays in its spot until the Flowerbed is finished.

You can cover spaces with a Flowerpot or Plant Cover, but it’s not necessary (and you should avoid doing it too much). But remember, you can’t cover Cat and Flowerpot tokens.

Step 2: Grab a Flowerpot

Hey there! Instead of picking up a Flower Tile from the Nursery, you have another cool option. You can choose a Flowerpot from the collection and put it right onto one of your Flowerbeds. This means one of your empty spots will be filled up.

(Just a heads up, you can’t save the Flowerpot for later; you gotta use it right away).

When you add this Flowerpot to the Flowerbed, it will contribute to your overall score. Remember, the Flowerpots have more significance than just being a solution to a problem. Let’s take a look at an example: The Cat is added to the Flowerbed, but it doesn’t increase your points.

Furthermore, you have the option to place Cats from your reserve onto empty spaces in your Flowerbed. These cardboard tokens cover one space on the Flowerbed, just like the smallest Flowers Tile.

However, it’s important to note that the cats themselves don’t earn any points.

Hey there! Did you know that you can always take a Flower Tile from the Nursery, even when it’s not your turn? It’s a cool feature that lets you see how it fits on your Flowerbeds. Just make sure to place the Parasol on the tile’s space in the Nursery, so you know where to put it back later. Once you’ve returned the Flower Tile, you can place the Parasol back to the side of the Nursery. Easy peasy!

III. Scoring Phase

Now, let’s talk about scoring. To complete a Flowerbed, you have to cover all the spaces without Flowerpots or Plant Covers. Makes sense, right?

Here’s how it works – at the end of the planting phase, we score every completed Flowerbed. In your Planting Table, you’ll find two scoring tracks. One is for the Flowerpots, and it has spaces numbered from 1 to 15. The other one is for the Plant Covers and it has spaces numbered 2 to 14, in twos. Score, score, score!

Hey there! Let me explain a cool rule to you. You see, when you’re scoring in this game, you can move one of your Orange Cubes on the Flowerpot track. How far? Well, as far as the number of Flowerpots you can see on the Flowerbed. Pretty simple, right? Oh, and each Flowerpot you score gives you 1 point. But hold on, covered Flowerpots don’t count. So keep an eye out for the ones you can actually see!

Now, let’s talk about the Blue Cubes. You can move one of them on the Plant Cover track. Just like before, you move it as many spaces as there are Plant Covers visible on the Flowerbed you’re scoring. But here’s the thing – each Plant Cover you score gives you 2 points! Nice! But, again, covered Plant Covers don’t count. So make sure you’re focusing on the ones you can actually see.

As I look at this Flowerbed, I can see some empty spaces that haven’t been covered yet, but they have either a Flowerpot or a Plant Cover printed on them. This Flowerbed is considered finished. This particular example of a completed Flowerbed will earn me 2 points for one of my Orange Cubes and 4 points for one of my Blue Cubes. The correct Flowerbed will give me 3 points for Flowerpots and 2 points for Plant Covers.

I have the freedom to choose which of my Orange or Blue Cubes to move. If I reach the space “20” before I have moved my cube through all the spaces, I will lose the remaining ones. I can’t distribute them between different cubes of the same color.

If I have a Cat, I can complete both Flowerbeds in the same round during the Planting Phase of my game turn. In this situation, I can score the Flowerbeds in any order I like. However, I won’t earn any points for the Cat.

Hey there! I have an important tip for you when playing this game – make sure to reach the target space on the track multiple times! Sometimes, you might have to give up some spaces while moving towards the target, but don’t worry, it’s all part of the strategy.

Let’s talk about Beehives

Hey there! Did you know that in this game the first player to get their first Cube to the target space on either track gets a bonus – the 2-beehive token? Pretty cool, huh?

And guess what? The second player to do the same gets the 1-beehive token!

At the end of the game, each beehive is worth 1 point. So, keep that in mind!

But here’s the catch – the same player can’t receive both tokens. It’s only one token per player.

Now, let’s talk about some other cool stuff, like bonuses!

Whenever you cross the red line with the mice on your scoring tracks while moving an Orange or Blue Cube, you get a Cat from the reserve. Cool, right? You can either use it right away on a Flowerbed or save it for later.

But here’s something even better – if you move the last of your three Orange or Blue Cubes from the starting space, you get a Flowerpot token for each one from the reserve. These tokens must be placed on a Flowerbed immediately. And guess what? This could complete the second Flowerbed and you score it just like we described earlier. Awesome!

Cleaning up and Refreshing the Flowerbed

When a Flowerbed is cleared, I need to tidy up and rejuvenate it. Here’s what I should do:

1. First, I gather all the Flowerpot and Cat tokens from the cleared Flowerbed and put them back into the reserve near the Nursery.
2. Next, I take all the Flower Tiles from the cleared Flowerbed and place them at the end of the queue, in any order. I can choose the end of the queue that doesn’t have the Wheelbarrow marker.
3. Then, I flip the now-empty Flowerbed to the other side. If it was light, it becomes dark, or if it was dark, it becomes light. I then place the flipped Flowerbed in the middle of the table.
4. Finally, I take the other Flowerbed from the center of the table, without flipping it, and place it next to my other Flowerbed.

Limit on Cats

It’s important to note that there’s a limit on the number of Cats I can have. If I exceed this limit, I must return the extra Cats to the reserve. This ensures that there’s fair competition and equal opportunities for all players.

When it’s your turn, you can only keep two Cats. If you have more than two, you need to put the extra ones in any empty spaces in your Flowerbeds until you have exactly two. If you finish a Flowerbed, you get points as explained earlier.

IV. The Gardener Step

At the end of your turn, you have to move the Gardener Die located on the edge of the board one space in the direction of the arrows (clockwise).

Every time the Gardener reaches the target space, you have to increase the number on the die by 1. In a 2-player or 4-player game, the target space is the same as the starting space. When the Gardener die shows “6”, the final round starts right away.

In a 3-player game, the goal space is located two arrow spaces before the starting space.

In a game with four players, Gardener spaces can be found not only along the rows and columns but also on the diagonals. These Gardener spaces are identified by different arrow symbols.

The Last Round

Now I have to get rid of all Flowerbeds that have two or fewer Flower Tiles. The number of other tokens doesn’t matter.

After that, I continue playing until I finish any remaining Flowerbeds.

I play my turns the same way as before, but there are some rule changes: Before each turn, I lose 2 points by moving an Orange Cube two spaces back on its scoring track or a Blue Cube one space back. I can also move a cube back to its starting space using this method.

If you don’t have any more Flowerbeds at the beginning of my turn, I just do the Gardener Phase. You don’t lose any more points.

If all your Cubes are on the fields 0, 1, and 20 of the point track, you have to move one Cube back from the 20 space. This will cost you 5 or 6 points, instead of just 2!

Imagine this scenario: you have two orange cubes on space 1, and those cubes are pointing to the “15” space.

When you complete a Flowerbed, you take it out of the game, but you don’t get a new one.

Sometimes, if you move your Cubes back on the point track and then score a Flowerbed, you might end up crossing the red line multiple times or have an empty starting space on the track again. In those situations, you’ll receive the bonuses again. Just remember that you won’t get a Cat when your Cube moves back across the red line!

If you score a Flowerbed in the last round, you can use these bonuses to finish and score your second Flowerbed, if you have one.

The End of the Game

The game ends when all the Flowerbeds have been taken out of the game.

Add up your points. The Orange Cubes are worth 1-15 points depending on where they are on the track, or 20 points if they are on the target space. The Blue Cubes are worth 2-14 points (in increments of two) or 20 points if they are on the target space.

Each hive is worth 1 point.

Cats in your reserve are worth nothing.

The player with the highest score wins: If there is a tie, the player with more Beehives wins.