The four towns have seen better days. They’re in various states of ruin, and often share animosity with each other. There’s a civic feel to Garden Story, as you learn the benefits of helping each other and working together to a common goal. It’s a warm, cuddly message that does work, but it replaces any high-concept stories, plots or even particularly interesting characters (only a frog, Rana, really registered with us). While there is an easy-going comfort to interactions in Garden Story, they don’t really capture the heart or mind. Gardens of the imagination round out the anthology: the beautiful but fatal garden of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Rappaccini’s Daughter,” the crystal buds of J. G. Ballard’s “The Garden of Time,” ravenous orchids in John Collier’s “Green Thoughts,” and Matsudo Aoko’s “Planting,” in which a young woman plants each day whatever she has been given—roses and violets, buttons and broken cups, love and fear and sorrow. Garden Stories is an abundant crop of entrancing stories and the perfect gift for gardeners of all kinds. One day the next Spring, I arrived at Grandma’s and found her pacing off the rows for her new year’s vegetable garden. I settled down on the grass to watch—and saw a small patch of violets blooming right in front of Budgie’s pile of stones. We’re delighted to see how well-received this piece was — we’ve a true soft-spot for these most delicately pretty of trees. This circle of life image captivated me and helped soften the edges of my sadness. Not only did it mean that Budgie would live on in a way that wasn’t dependent on my spotty memory, it also made it clear to me that death and life were inextricably intertwined—a lesson one learns time and again in a garden.

I love gardening stories. They may be humorous, scientific, whimsical, or even tales of frustration and wonder. Why, after all, can everyone around me grow beautiful lavender plants, but mine seems like I just dug them out of the basement? I’m sure there’s a story there! Plus, there’s no shortage of material. Had a run in with Japanese Beetles? Did your little pet turtle turn into a giant that rearranges lawn furniture? Or perhaps you discovered something special and magical in your garden. Or you learned a lesson about how quiet time in the garden can heal a troubled soul. You, my friend, have gardening stories. Combat, farming, dungeon-delving, handywork, story and construction are all present, but in half-pints. They never quite reach their full potential, and we couldn’t point to a single one of them and say “yep, Garden Story nails that one”. Garden Story emphatically sits between stools. Japanese Acers: The ultimate guide to what to grow, how to grow it and the best acer varieties for your garden You see, Garden Story may lure you in with its Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley-like aesthetic, but this game about community and saving the world turns out to be an RPG in farm sim's clothing. the string lights and the overgrowth have a default height that matches the height of the pergola, but with the bb.moveobject on cheat you can set it higher if you'd like!Explore a lush, living world: Immerse yourself in The Grove’s vibrant, organic ecosystem with four distinct (and adorable!) regions to enjoy. Combat Rot: Solve puzzles and fend off Rot as you delve into particularly infested locations of The Grove. Take caution: especially formidable Rot have taken residence in the depths of these areas!

No, they weren’t,” Grandma agreed. We decided they were Budgie’s violets. Already her little body, although it would never fly again, was helping to nourish the soil and grow new flowers. We both smiled.It’s because Garden Story is...well...it’s sort of... profound? It would have been so, so easy for the game to just dump a bunch of silly talking produce in colourful pixel cozy land #584 with some crafting and farming mechanics and call it a day, without needing to explain itself. But there’s worldbuilding here. History. Characters with genuine concern for the fate of the land. There are hints of understated, archetypal, fairytale poetry to the writing that show an understanding of how a Zelda game makes players feel, rather than just how one functions. And so my earliest garden memories center on life as much as on death, the two going around and around, linked together in every living thing. The frequent combat in this ARPG is hit-and-miss, but behind it is a sweet and sincere tale set in a land you’ll care about saving and starring the G.O.T.Y (grape of the year). I mentioned a twist earlier, and here it is: Garden Story gives the player the opportunity to live in - not just pass through - the four main villages. Temporary homes await Concord in each. You can rush through the story, but you can also get comfy. Lay your grape hat in your grape home, and start pitching in. Protecting, restoring, and helping the residents flourish. cottage living inspired me to do more gardening activities together with my sims. however, the majority of in-game objects are very cottagecore/country-style - which is cool, but i tend to grow tired of using the same type of garden boxes or flower arrangement table... that's why i am super excited to release this GARDEN STORIES set!

Foster community: Take on requests, complete favors, and work as a role model to provide inhabitants with the confidence to support one another. Don’t be afraid to ask for help: we’re rebuilding together! It felt all wrong to me. This was the way it had to be, Grandma told me. Budgie would live now in our memories of her. I fashioned a pile of small stones under the pussy willow to mark Budgie’s resting place, feeling very unsettled. If Budgie lived only in my memory, then she could cease to be altogether—I forgot a lot of things! Sometimes I forgot to close the latch on my rabbit’s cage and had to chase her around the yard. Sometimes I forgot that I was supposed to brush my teeth before I went to bed. Sometimes I couldn’t even remember my parents’ phone number, despite the fact that my mother rehearsed it with me on a routine basis. My memory challenges did not bode well for Budgie’s chances of immortality.You play Concord who, as mentioned, is the custodian of a tiny garden. But they are soon seconded by a giant plum called, um, Plum, to become a ‘Guardian of the Grove’. This is a rather important title in the Grove, as it effectively positions you as one of the four towns’ champions. Being a Guardian means that you will be fixing bridges, clearing out water supplies and boshing the odd slime on the head with a hammer. Grandma rewrapped Budgie in the handkerchief and placed her body in the hole. We began sifting dirt through our fingertips. The brown soil soon covered the clean white cotton that had Budgie’s small body inside.

Of course, that’s not the end. Mary Ann’s grandmother was clearly a very special person, and used the moment to teach Mary Ann a very important and comforting lesson about life. Gardening Stories Can Clear The Mind and Help Us Heal. Read So Many More of Them in GreenPrints Accessibility OptionsFor those who prefer to progress the story without the stresses of combat, you can always turn on “perish prevention” mode in the gameplay options. This setting is also helpful for getting past difficult enemies or boss fights. So Concord will arrive at a bustling beach town, meet the townsfolk, be given a place to crash, plonk themselves down on a big leaf, make the most heart-melting resting animation, then conk out. Each morning, new requests come in from the villagers. Repair a bridge, beat down some bad slimes, collect and deliver a rare resource, and so on. Complete tasks, level up the village, get access to new weapon upgrades and other shinies. It makes for lovely “loops within lines” progression, letting you alternate between climbing the beanstalk and enjoying the view, whenever the mood takes you. This story comes from our archive that spans over 30 years, and includes more than 130 magazine issues of GreenPrints. Pieces like these that turn stories of healing gardens into everyday life lessons always brighten up my day, and I hope this story does for you as well. Enjoy! Budgie What Grandma’s garden taught me. By Mary Ann Lieser

so... it is my 1 year anniversary on tumblr! yay! i thought about releasing this set in early september, but it feels appropriate to share it with everyone today. so, meet my last release of this summer - the GARDEN STORIES PATIO set! Yesterday I was driving through an unfamiliar neighborhood, searching for a garage sale I’d read about, and my eyes spotted a small wooden cross, painted white, beneath a tree. I realized that someone’s beloved pet must be buried at that spot—and almost immediately remembered the day my grandmother buried her dead budgerigar, rolled up in a handkerchief, beneath the pussy willow in her garden.