I love Board Games

It's getting to be that time of year here in North Idaho where the days grow shorter, the nights get colder, and the sky becomes cloudier. I begin drinking more espresso, making more soups, and baking more breads and muffins. My reading list gets some more attention and the board games come out of the storage room. Ever since I was a child I loved board games. I have fond memories of staying home from school sick and playing Careers, Scrabble, yahtzee, and Monopoly. In Junior High and Highschool I began playing Dungeons and Dragons with friends often to the angst of teachers (which I don't understand, because unlike video games we were reading and using our imagination). Now in my adult life, I've gained a few new favourites; Carcassone, Scotland Yard, Up the River, and The Garden Game from Ampersand Press which has some other great Nature games. I'm usually not one for advertising, but it's a great company worth checking out and supporting.



As for the game, here's how the Object on the Rules of Play sheet reads;

Players plant their garden with "Garden Cards", trying to get and keep as many cards as they can. In addition, players try to make "pollinating sets"; 2 of the same kinds of Plant cards with a Pollinator card. The Pollinator must be one named on the Plant cards. The Garden Cards symbolize success with plants in the garden; the pollinating sets symbolize successful seed production for next year's garden.

The playing pieces are stones, the spinner is called the "weather Station", and the cards drawn are Gardener's Almanac Cards. One example reads;

Frost Bite. A Few warm, sunny days fooled you into thinking it was safe to move plants outside. A late cold snap came and froze them. Lose a garden card

Anyhow, it's a fun game and great for kids 8 and up. It gets kids interested in the garden and is very educational. The Rules book even contains a detailed "gardener's glossary and a background to "The Life Cycle of Plants".

I'm definitely playing it this weekend. It's been awhile.