The Butterfly Garden

About this board game

The Butterfly Garden is a card game for 2–6 players that takes about 40 minutes to play. In the role of avid butterfly collectors, players help expand and diversify a local butterfly garden while competing for the respect of the collecting community.

The game unfolds over a series of rounds. At the start of each round, everyone plays a card from their hand to determine turn order. Cards are numbered from 0 to 59, with lower numbers going first, so choosing a card can be just as important as choosing a butterfly.

On a turn, a player captures a butterfly from the face-up field and tucks it under their jar card. When possible, players deliver butterflies from their jars to the garden. Face-up delivery cards show which butterflies can be delivered, and players race to claim these cards and score victory points.

• Play numbered cards to determine who acts first.
• Capture butterflies from the row of face-up cards.
• Deliver matching butterflies to claim delivery cards and score points.
• Use special powers when the right opportunity appears.

Turn-order decisions create a constant trade-off. Lower-numbered cards usually provide fewer butterflies, limiting how many cards can be added to a jar, but they offer an earlier choice from the field and the first chance to deliver. Butterfly cards with special powers usually have high numbers, so using one may mean sacrificing turn order.

With opponents competing for the same butterflies and delivery opportunities, The Butterfly Garden rewards careful timing and clever choices. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins.