Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Learn the rules to the card game Garden Box quickly and concisely - This video has no distractions, just the rules.
Don't own the game? Buy it here:
Amazon.com - buy.triplesgames.com/gardenbox
RULES:
The object of the game is to score the most points over 3 rounds, you score points by harvesting crops with each cards value indicated by a number. Give each player 4 garden box cards which they place in a line in front of them. Shuffle the deck and deal 6 cards to each player. Players look at their own cards but keep them hidden from others. The remaining deck is placed facedown as a draw pile. The youngest player goes first then play proceeds clockwise.
On your turn, you must take exactly 2 actions, no more, no less; the only exception, is if you play all six cards in your hand in your first action, then you skip your second. You may choose to take the same actions twice, if you want. The actions are:
Plant crops. Take 1 or more crops of the same type from your hand and place them below one of your garden boxes so they overlap and can be seen at all times. You may not play to multiple boxes with a single action. A garden box may only have 1 single type of crop below it at a time, and there is no limit to the number of total cards it can have.
Play wilds. The watering can is a wild and can represent any crop. You can place one or more Wilds from your hand below any one of your garden boxes, no matter if the box is empty or already has crops in it. You may not play to multiple boxes with a single action. Wilds in your hand may not be played with non-wilds in a single action, they must be played separately, or you must use two actions.
Once a garden box has at least 4 cards under it, you may choose to harvest its points. Harvesting is free and does not use an action. You may harvest anytime on your turn, including after you plant crops or play wilds. You may harvest multiple times each turn. When you harvest, remove the crops and wilds and set them next to you, faceup, in a harvested pile. These points are safe for the rest of the round, their knowledge public to all the players.
Discard a card. You may use an action to discard one card from your hand to a faceup discard pile without anything happening. Discarding two cards will use both actions for that turn.
Use a Special Card. Each special card played counts as one action and is discarded after use. The cards are: Goat. Pick an opponent’s garden box and discard 1 crop. You may not discard a wild. Rabbit. This is the same as the goat but it discards 2 crops from the same garden box instead of 1. If the targeted garden box only has 1 crop, then you only discard 1. Fence. Place this card above one of your garden boxes. It protects you one time from a goat or rabbit. When it does, discard the fence. Each garden box may only have 1 fence at a time. Birds. Pick an opponent’s garden box and steal 1 crop from them and put it in one of your garden boxes. You may not steal wilds, and fences do not stop birds. Badger. Pick an opponent’s garden box and discard all cards in it, including fences.
At the end of your turn, draw cards from the top of the draw pile until you have 6 cards in your hand. You may not pick up cards from the discard. When the deck runs out of cards, keep playing, with each player continuing to take 2 actions per turn—unless it is impossible, then they only take 1.
Once every card has been played, the round ends. Every garden box that has at least 2 cards below it is harvested, while boxes with 1 card below are discarded. Each player adds together all their harvested cards and scores the points on a paper. Gather up all the cards and play another round with the player who has the least amount of total points going first. After 3 rounds, the player with the most points, wins.
Learn the rules to the card game Garden Box quickly and concisely - This video has no distractions, just the rules.
Don't own the game? Buy it here:
Amazon.com - buy.triplesgames.com/gardenbox
RULES:
The object of the game is to score the most points over 3 rounds, you score points by harvesting crops with each cards value indicated by a number. Give each player 4 garden box cards which they place in a line in front of them. Shuffle the deck and deal 6 cards to each player. Players look at their own cards but keep them hidden from others. The remaining deck is placed facedown as a draw pile. The youngest player goes first then play proceeds clockwise.
On your turn, you must take exactly 2 actions, no more, no less; the only exception, is if you play all six cards in your hand in your first action, then you skip your second. You may choose to take the same actions twice, if you want. The actions are:
Plant crops. Take 1 or more crops of the same type from your hand and place them below one of your garden boxes so they overlap and can be seen at all times. You may not play to multiple boxes with a single action. A garden box may only have 1 single type of crop below it at a time, and there is no limit to the number of total cards it can have.
Play wilds. The watering can is a wild and can represent any crop. You can place one or more Wilds from your hand below any one of your garden boxes, no matter if the box is empty or already has crops in it. You may not play to multiple boxes with a single action. Wilds in your hand may not be played with non-wilds in a single action, they must be played separately, or you must use two actions.
Once a garden box has at least 4 cards under it, you may choose to harvest its points. Harvesting is free and does not use an action. You may harvest anytime on your turn, including after you plant crops or play wilds. You may harvest multiple times each turn. When you harvest, remove the crops and wilds and set them next to you, faceup, in a harvested pile. These points are safe for the rest of the round, their knowledge public to all the players.
Discard a card. You may use an action to discard one card from your hand to a faceup discard pile without anything happening. Discarding two cards will use both actions for that turn.
Use a Special Card. Each special card played counts as one action and is discarded after use. The cards are: Goat. Pick an opponent’s garden box and discard 1 crop. You may not discard a wild. Rabbit. This is the same as the goat but it discards 2 crops from the same garden box instead of 1. If the targeted garden box only has 1 crop, then you only discard 1. Fence. Place this card above one of your garden boxes. It protects you one time from a goat or rabbit. When it does, discard the fence. Each garden box may only have 1 fence at a time. Birds. Pick an opponent’s garden box and steal 1 crop from them and put it in one of your garden boxes. You may not steal wilds, and fences do not stop birds. Badger. Pick an opponent’s garden box and discard all cards in it, including fences.
At the end of your turn, draw cards from the top of the draw pile until you have 6 cards in your hand. You may not pick up cards from the discard. When the deck runs out of cards, keep playing, with each player continuing to take 2 actions per turn—unless it is impossible, then they only take 1.
Once every card has been played, the round ends. Every garden box that has at least 2 cards below it is harvested, while boxes with 1 card below are discarded. Each player adds together all their harvested cards and scores the points on a paper. Gather up all the cards and play another round with the player who has the least amount of total points going first. After 3 rounds, the player with the most points, wins.
