Gardening Duties: How to Play the Gardenscapes Event

Gardenscapes Gardening Duties event reward track showing Austin trimming a hedge, milestone gift boxes, and progress toward 3000 points.

Learn how Gardening Duties works in Gardenscapes, including all five stages, Pruning Shears requirements, rewards, objectives, strategies, and the best way to complete the event efficiently.

Gardening Duties is a weekly Gardenscapes event in which players complete different objectives, collect Pruning Shears, and unlock five separate reward packages.

The event does not have its own match-3 board. Its objectives progress while the player continues completing regular levels and participating in the other activities available during the same period.

Gardening Duties consists of five stages. Each stage contains five different objectives, and the corresponding progress bars can fill simultaneously while the player continues playing.

When Gardening Duties Starts and Ends

Gardening Duties starts every Friday, together with the weekly Team Bowling competition, and ends alongside it on Monday morning.

The exact starting and ending times may vary depending on each player’s time zone. The safest way to check how much time remains is to look at the timer displayed at the top of the event screen.

Because Gardening Duties lasts for approximately one weekend, the available time is limited. Players must complete the objectives before the timer reaches zero, or they will no longer be able to claim any reward packages that remain locked.

How the Five Stages Work

Five tabs appear on the right side of the event screen:

Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Stage 5

Each stage contains five different objectives. To receive a stage reward, the player must complete all five objectives displayed on that stage’s tab.

The most important detail is that the stages do not have to be completed strictly one after another. Their objectives can progress at the same time.

For example, Stage 1 does not have to be completed before an objective from Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, or Stage 5 begins progressing. When the player performs an action required by an objective in a later stage, the corresponding progress bar can increase normally.

As the player completes levels, creates power-ups, collects coins, or participates in another active event, several different objective counters may progress simultaneously.

You Do Not Need to Finish Stage 1 Before Stage 2 Progresses

The screen containing five separate tabs may initially create the impression that Gardening Duties is a strictly sequential event. In practice, however, progress is not limited to the first tab.

For example, if Stage 2 includes an objective that requires collecting coins, the corresponding bar may fill while the player earns coins from levels, even if some Stage 1 objectives remain incomplete.

The same rule applies to all later stages. Actions performed during normal gameplay are recorded by the relevant active objectives, regardless of which stage tab the player is viewing at that moment.

However, to claim the reward from a particular stage, all five objectives on that stage’s tab must be completed.

What Are Pruning Shears?

Pruning Shears are the special tokens used in the Gardening Duties event.

Each completed objective awards a specific number of Pruning Shears. The amount is not identical for every task. A simpler objective may award fewer shears, while a longer or more difficult objective may award more.

The five reward milestones correspond to the following totals:

Stage 1: 200 Pruning Shears
Stage 2: 600 Pruning Shears
Stage 3: 1,200 Pruning Shears
Stage 4: 2,000 Pruning Shears
Stage 5: 3,000 Pruning Shears

The final reward package requires total progress of 3,000 Pruning Shears.

Which Objectives Can Appear?

The missions may change depending on the weekly Gardenscapes event schedule. There is no guarantee that every appearance of Gardening Duties will contain exactly the same objectives or requirements.

The objectives may ask the player to:

collect coins,
complete regular levels,
complete Hard or Super Hard levels,
create Rainbow Blasts,
create or activate other power-ups,
collect cards for the Collection,
collect items from a parallel event,
earn special currency or points from another activity,
make progress in a temporary event running during the same weekend.

Objectives involving surfboards, cards, or other special items depend on which events are active at the time. When the parallel event changes, the related Gardening Duties missions may also change.

All Main Gardening Duties Rewards

Each of the five stages offers a different reward package. The rewards become larger as the requirements increase.

Stage	Requirement	Main Rewards
Stage 1	200 Pruning Shears	2-card Collection pack and 1 Bomb
Stage 2	600 Pruning Shears	2-card Collection pack and 1 Rainbow Blast
Stage 3	1,200 Pruning Shears	3-card Collection pack, 1 Shovel, and 1 Desk Fan
Stage 4	2,000 Pruning Shears	4-card Collection pack, 100 coins, 1 Bomb, and 1 Rainbow Blast
Stage 5	3,000 Pruning Shears	6-card Collection pack, 900 coins, 1 Dynamite, 1 Shovel, 1 Dart, 1 Kettlebell, and 1 Desk Fan

These are the main rewards observed in the documented version of the event. If another event is running at the same time, additional rewards connected to that event may also be included in the packages.

Stage 1: Reward at 200 Pruning Shears

Completing the first stage requires a total of 200 Pruning Shears. The reward includes:

one 2-card Collection pack,
one Bomb.

The two-card pack adds two cards to the active Collection. Depending on the player’s luck, the cards may be new or duplicates.

The Bomb is a booster selected before the start of a level. It places a Bomb on the initial board and can help destroy pieces and obstacles quickly.

Stage 1 is the easiest of the five stages because its requirements are significantly lower than those of the later stages. It can usually be completed through normal gameplay without using large amounts of boosters or coins.

Stage 2: Reward at 600 Pruning Shears

The second stage requires total progress of 600 Pruning Shears. Its reward package includes:

one 2-card Collection pack,
one Rainbow Blast.

As in the first stage, the card pack adds two cards to the active Collection.

The Rainbow Blast is a starting booster that can be placed on the board before a level begins. When activated with a regular piece, it removes every piece of the same color from the board. When combined with another power-up, it can create a much larger chain reaction.

The 600-shear milestone represents 20% of the full route to the final 3,000-shear package. For a player who is active every day, Stage 2 remains a relatively accessible target.

Stage 3: Reward at 1,200 Pruning Shears

The third stage requires 1,200 Pruning Shears. Its reward includes:

one 3-card Collection pack,
one Shovel,
one Desk Fan.

The three-card pack provides one additional card compared with the packs offered in the first two stages.

The Shovel is used during a level. The player selects a specific position on the board to hit without spending a regular move. It is especially useful when only one isolated piece or one final obstacle layer remains.

The Desk Fan reshuffles the pieces on the board. It can improve an unfavorable layout and create new available matches or opportunities to form power-ups.

Stage 3 is reached at 40% of the total route. From this point onward, the requirements increase noticeably, but the reward package becomes more useful because it contains two tools that can be used during levels.

Stage 4: Reward at 2,000 Pruning Shears

The fourth stage requires 2,000 Pruning Shears. Its rewards are:

one 4-card Collection pack,
100 coins,
one Bomb,
one Rainbow Blast.

The four-card pack increases the chance of receiving a missing card from a Collection set, although it does not guarantee that every card will be new.

The 100 coins are the first direct coin reward on the event path. The amount is small compared with the cost of purchasing extra moves, so spending large amounts of coins only to unlock the fourth package is not worthwhile.

The Bomb and Rainbow Blast can be selected together before a difficult level, increasing the number of starting power-ups placed on the board.

After Stage 4, another 1,000 Pruning Shears are still required to reach the final package. Although the player has already completed approximately two-thirds of the full requirement, the final part of the route remains substantial.

Stage 5: The Final Reward at 3,000 Pruning Shears

The fifth and final stage is completed at 3,000 Pruning Shears. It is the largest Gardening Duties reward package and includes:

one 6-card Collection pack,
900 coins,
one Dynamite,
one Shovel,
one Dart,
one Kettlebell,
one Desk Fan.

The six-card pack is the largest card pack offered by this version of Gardening Duties. It is particularly useful for players trying to complete the final sets of an active Collection.

The 900 coins are the largest individual coin reward in the event. Together with the 100 coins from Stage 4, the final two stages award a total of 1,000 coins.

Rewards for Other Events Running at the Same Time

In addition to the main rewards, Gardening Duties may offer extra items or points connected to another event running at the same time, such as Fancy Feathers.

These additional rewards are not fixed and should not be considered a permanent part of every weekly appearance.

If the parallel event changes, the related items included in Gardening Duties reward packages may also change. For this reason, additional rewards should always be evaluated according to what is currently displayed on the player’s account.

How the Objective Progress Bars Fill

The progress bars increase automatically when the player performs the actions required by the objectives.

There is no need to open a particular stage tab first or press an activation button. The game records progress while levels are played and while the player participates in the relevant activities.

For example:

coins earned are added to the related coin-collection objective,
a completed Hard Level is added to the difficult-level objective,
each Rainbow Blast created increases the corresponding counter,
cards collected are added to the Collection objective,
special items from a parallel event increase the related progress bar.

Because all five stage tabs progress in parallel, one action may contribute to several objectives at the same time. Completing a Hard Level, for example, may also award coins, involve the creation of Rainbow Blasts, and provide items for another event.

The Best Strategy for Gardening Duties

Check All Five Tabs from the Beginning

Do not monitor only Stage 1. Open all five tabs and examine the objectives required in the later stages. This allows you to identify which actions can advance several progress bars simultaneously.

Combine Several Objectives in the Same Level

The most efficient progress occurs when one level contributes to several missions. A Hard Level may count as a win, award coins, allow Rainbow Blasts to be created, and provide items for a parallel event.

Do Not Spend Coins Only to Fill One Progress Bar

Purchasing extra moves may cost more than the reward offered by a stage. This is especially important in Stage 4, where the 100-coin reward does not justify spending large amounts only to complete the stage faster.

Use Tools Carefully

The Shovel, Dart, Kettlebell, and Desk Fan are most valuable when they secure a level victory. Using them randomly near the beginning of a level may significantly reduce the real value of the rewards.

Monitor the Remaining Time

Gardening Duties ends on Monday together with Team Bowling. If several missions remain incomplete shortly before the event ends, the player should calculate whether enough time genuinely remains to reach the next reward package.

Which Stage Is Worth Reaching?

Stage 1

The first stage is almost always worth completing because it requires only 200 Pruning Shears and can usually be finished through normal gameplay. It rewards two cards and one Bomb.

Stage 2

The second stage remains relatively accessible and awards two additional cards together with one Rainbow Blast. It is a reasonable target even for players who do not plan to complete the full event.

Stage 3

At 1,200 Pruning Shears, the requirements become more demanding, but the three-card pack, Shovel, and Desk Fan can be useful in difficult levels.

Stage 4

The fourth stage is most worthwhile when most of its progress bars have already advanced naturally. The 100 coins, Bomb, and Rainbow Blast do not justify excessive spending of resources.

Stage 5

The final stage clearly contains the largest reward package. The six cards, 900 coins, Dynamite, and four tools form a strong reward, but full progress to 3,000 Pruning Shears is required.

It is most worthwhile when the player has already completed a large portion of the five objectives, has enough time remaining before Monday, and does not need to spend more coins than the event will return.

Why Previous Rewards Are Not Lost

Each stage has its own independent reward package. Once all five objectives in a stage are completed, its reward can be claimed and remains in the player’s account.

The player does not need to complete all five stages to keep rewards already collected. If the player reaches Stage 3, the rewards from the first three stages remain available even if Stages 4 and 5 are not completed.

Which Players Can Participate?

According to the official Gardenscapes Help Center, Gardening Duties is available to players who have completed level 101.

The following are also required:

an active internet connection,
an updated version of Gardenscapes,
a device that meets the game’s minimum requirements,
correct date and time settings.

Could Gardening Duties Be Replaced by Frog Trail?

Frog Trail is appearing as a test event for a limited number of players. Based on the current test, it may potentially be used as a replacement for Gardening Duties in the future.

This replacement should not yet be considered permanent for every account. Test events may be changed, gradually expanded, or removed before receiving a full release.

Until the testing period is completed and Frog Trail becomes officially available to a larger number of players, Gardening Duties remains the weekly event that begins on Friday alongside Team Bowling for accounts that still receive it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Stages Does Gardening Duties Have?

Gardening Duties has five stages, and each stage contains five different objectives.

Do I Need to Finish Stage 1 Before Stage 2 Can Progress?

No. Relevant objectives from different stages can progress at the same time while the player continues playing.

What Is Required to Claim a Stage Reward?

All five objectives displayed on that stage’s tab must be completed.

How Many Pruning Shears Are Required in Total?

A total of 3,000 Pruning Shears is required to complete the full event.

When Does Gardening Duties Appear?

It begins on Friday together with Team Bowling and ends on Monday morning, depending on the player’s time zone.

What Are the Stage 1 Rewards?

One two-card Collection pack and one Bomb.

What Are the Stage 2 Rewards?

One two-card Collection pack and one Rainbow Blast.

What Are the Stage 3 Rewards?

One three-card Collection pack, one Shovel, and one Desk Fan.

What Are the Stage 4 Rewards?

One four-card Collection pack, 100 coins, one Bomb, and one Rainbow Blast.

What Are the Stage 5 Rewards?

One six-card Collection pack, 900 coins, one Dynamite, one Shovel, one Dart, one Kettlebell, and one Desk Fan.

Are the Rewards Always Exactly the Same?

The main rewards are those presented in this article, but they may change from one week to another, especially as Gardenscapes reward systems continue to evolve.

Are the Cards Guaranteed to Be New?

No. The packs provide the stated number of cards, but some of them may be duplicates.

Do I Lose Previous Rewards If I Do Not Reach 3,000 Pruning Shears?

No. Every reward that has already been unlocked remains in the player’s account.

Conclusion

Gardening Duties is a five-stage event that rewards normal participation in Gardenscapes levels and other active activities.

Each stage contains five objectives, and the progress bars from different stages can fill simultaneously. Stage 1 does not need to be completed before progress begins in Stage 2 or any of the later stages.

The main rewards include Collection packs containing two, three, four, or six cards, as well as coins, Bombs, Rainbow Blasts, Dynamite, Shovels, Darts, Kettlebells, and Desk Fans. When a parallel event is active, additional rewards connected to it may also be included.

The best strategy is to check all five stage tabs from the beginning so that the player understands which objectives can progress together. By combining missions efficiently, a large part of the event can be completed without wasting coins or boosters.

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