Each player starts with a garden plot board, three random pollinator goal cards, and five plant selection tokens. Plant cards are laid out in the center of the playing area to form the nursery (4 trees, 4 shrubs, and 8 perennials). Also place a common pile of bee and fruit point tokens within reach, and lay out the proper number of wildlife goal cards where players can see them.

Each year consists of 4 steps:
 1. Gaining additional pollinator goal cards
 2. Selecting plants from the nursery
 3. Planting your plants
 4. Receiving points for fruit and bees

All steps are done simultaneously with other players, except when taking turns during the process of selecting plants from the nursery.

 

Each player takes a turn selecting one plant from the nursery- using one, two, or three of their five plant-selection tokens to signify the value of the plant they took. Perennials are worth one, shrubs are two, and trees are three. Continue around the circle, each player taking one plant on their turn, until all players have used their total value of five tokens. Refill the nursery after each time around the circle, and completely refresh the cards at the end of each year. A different player will start the selection process next year.

All players plant at the same time, and once something is planted, it stays, although there are ways to uproot things later if you need to. Perennials and shrubs go on spaces, and must match the moisture and light requirements of the space. Trees go on intersections, and must match the moisture requirements of at least half of the spaces it overhangs. Trees also create shade, so any plants on the spaces adjacent to that tree must be able to handle shade. One tree touching a space = part shade, and two trees touching the same space = full shade. No trees at all = full sun.

As you choose plants and decide where to put them, look closely at the pollinator goal cards you have in your hand. Some will require certain plants by name, or they might only need a more general family of plants. Some want plants that bloom only in spring, while others, like bumble bees, need an assortment of species that bloom across multiple seasons. Other cards request arrangements of plants in rows, columns, squares, or contiguous groups. The fun part (in my opinion!) is trying to figure out how each of these goals work together on your plot and how you can plant for them most efficiently! On the other hand, you might prefer a more relaxed approach- go after the plants you want, discard the pollinators that look too hard, and enjoy looking at the beautiful garden you are developing along the way! Low stress gardening, and your hands don't even get dirty!

Pollinator cards are divided into three types of goals -red points, green points, and yellow points.
--Red points: Goals that can be completed once and are worth a static number of points
--Green points: Goals that can be built upon over the course of the game (points per plant card that meets the requirement)
--Yellow points: Each year after meeting this goal, place a bee token on this card. Bee tokens are each worth a point at the end of the game.

Each year begins with receiving several new pollinator cards, so your strategy builds and shifts over the course of the game, giving you new things to work toward. 

Some trees and shrubs produce fruit, which are worth one fruit point each year after being planted. Place a fruit point token on that plant card at the end of each year. Certain trees and shrubs require two of the same species to be present in order to cross pollinate and produce fruit. These two trees can be on your own plot, or one can be on your next-door neighbor's plot, in order for them both to produce fruit each year. Get your fruit-producing plants early in the game to make the most of their point potential!

Remember to keep in mind the common wildlife goals that might help give you an edge over your competitors. These goals are for all players to work toward, and whoever completes a goal first gets the highest points for that card. Wildlife goals may include things like a complete wet habitat (all wet spaces planted), or 4 moth pollinator cards completed.

The game ends at the completion of the fourth year. Add up your points using the score card to count fruit and bee points, red and green pollinator points, and wildlife points. The player with the most points wins!