
- BGG rank
- BGG #807
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Magic Maze
- 1–8 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2017

2023
Rules assistance for Gardeners
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Gardeners is a board game released in 2023 for 1–4 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Kasper Lapp and its main mechanics are Tile Placement, Square Grid, and Deduction.
Gardeners is a simultaneous cooperative game played silently and in real time. In less than 15 minutes, players must succeed in arranging as many gardens as possible, always composed of the same 36 tiles, but responding to different rules from one round to another. Everyone must deduce the rules in force by observing where the tiles are placed and from where some are removed. A game of Gardeners is made up of an indefinite number of rounds. Each is broken down into 5 phases, as follows: Draw a Constraint card, Start the sandtimer, Arrange the garden, Check the garden, Prepare for the next round. During the game, players cannot communicate in any way about what to do or not to do to make the garden. Will you satisfy the King's whimsical desires? —description from the publisher
Gardeners supports 1–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Gardeners is 15 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Gardeners for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Gardeners has a complexity rating of 2.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Gardeners belongs to these categories: Deduction and Real-time. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement, Square Grid, and Deduction. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Gardeners are: Kasper Lapp. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Gardeners as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.