tabletoppingboardgames 
Garden is a two-player abstract game about, well, bugs in a garden. Each player controls a small team of insects, trying to form lines of their color while quietly messing up the other player’s plans. It sounds peaceful, but it’s not really. Every move shapes what the other person can or can’t do next, so it turns into a little battle of control.
It’s a short, clean game where every placement matters. I mean, it looks calm and minimal, but under that polite floral surface it’s a small war of anticipation.
👥 2 players, ages 8+
⌛ Playing time: 15 minutes
📝 Designer: Andy Hopwood
🎨 Artwork: Daisy Yi-Ching Chen
🏢 Publisher: Taiwan Boardgame Design (review copy provided)
Gameplay Overview
You start by placing the four petal tiles into a square, making the shared garden. Each player picks a color and takes eight bugs. Whoever starts must place their first bug on the edge of the tiles. After that, players take turns placing one bug at a time, always following a rule that depends on the last bug placed.
Each type limits the opponent differently. A dragonfly forces you to play in the same row or column. A butterfly makes you play along a diagonal. A snail limits you to spaces touching it, and a ladybug does the opposite, forcing you to play on a space that doesn’t touch it.
If you can’t place a bug, you pass. When that happens, your opponent can place their next bug anywhere, which often hurts a lot. When one player places their last bug, the other gets one final move if possible, and then you score.
You score one point for each line of three connected bugs, or two for a line of four. Lines can be straight or diagonal. Whoever has the most points wins, and if it’s a tie, you can just play again. Games are quick enough that you’ll probably want to anyway.
There’s also a different setup you can use once you know the rules. Before playing, you take turns placing the petal tiles in any shape that connects. It changes how the game flows and gives it a new twist without adding more rules.
Artwork and Components
Garden is tiny and simple, which fits its style. You get four tiles and sixteen wooden bugs, eight per player. That’s the whole game.
The petal tiles look clean and bright, with little floral details that link together nicely. It’s clear and readable, which is the most important thing here. The bugs are thick wooden tokens, each printed with a small symbol that shows what type it is. You don’t really need to check the rulebook again once you’ve played a few turns; everything’s easy to tell apart.
Visually, it’s minimalist but not cold. It’s not the kind of game that’ll draw people across the room, but once it’s on the table, it has a tidy, modern look that feels good to play on.
Our Experience
Our first game started very carefully. We both spent a few turns just testing what each bug could do. It’s one of those games where you make a move, and then immediately realize you’ve opened something up you shouldn’t have.
The flow is simple: you place a piece, it limits the next move, and the board slowly fills up with traps. It’s clean but also tricky. Every placement feels like a small puzzle where you’re trying to gain ground while closing doors for your opponent.
As the garden fills, it becomes a lot more intense. Suddenly you’re not just reacting to what the other person did, but thinking two or three turns ahead. A good placement can both create a potential line and make sure your opponent can’t respond nearby. It’s one of those games where both players lean in closer and stop talking for a bit.
After a few games, each bug type starts to feel distinct. The snail keeps fights close, while the ladybug opens space or breaks clusters apart. The dragonfly and butterfly shape the lines, setting up longer patterns or blocking paths. The way they interact keeps the game interesting across multiple plays.
It’s also super portable. We played it on a coffee table and even on a train tray once. Setup takes less than a minute, and since games finish quickly, it’s easy to play a few in a row. The alternative terrain setup keeps things fresh after a while and gives a bit more room for experimentation.
Our Thoughts
Truth be told, I liked Garden more than I expected. It’s very small and stripped down, but that’s also what makes it neat. There’s no randomness, no cards, no fancy bits. Just two players and a board slowly filling with decisions.
It’s all about timing and control. Most games end with only a handful of points, and a single line of four can win it. Forcing your opponent to pass at the right time can swing the endgame, since it gives you a free placement anywhere. Once you start noticing those patterns, it becomes surprisingly strategic.
I know some players will find the soil here a bit too dry, since this one’s about as abstract as it gets. You’re not really thinking about gardens or insects after the first minute. You’re thinking about lines, angles, and options.
Still, there’s something satisfying about how it all clicks together. You see your opponent fall into the trap you quietly set two turns ago, and it feels great. Then five seconds later, they do the same to you, and it’s your turn to sigh.
The balance between the bugs is good too. No type feels stronger than another, and the more you play, the more you see how the ladybug and snail can shift the tempo. Starting player advantage exists a bit, but clever play usually evens it out.
Garden is the kind of game that rewards calm thinking and replaying. It’s short, portable, and takes almost no effort to teach. If you enjoy small tactical duels without luck, it’s a lovely little design to add to your shelf.
And honestly, for such a quiet-looking game, it caused more grumbling and small laughs between us than some big box games ever did.
📝 We received a copy of the game from Taiwan Boardgame Design for review.
