Bloom Haven for beginners: your first ten minutes

Your first ten minutes in Bloom Haven go like this: pick a save slot, play puzzle 1 with a friendly four-step guide, earn your first leaf and build the welcome sign. This page walks you through each screen, so you always know what to press next.

Step 1: open the game and pick a save slot

When the game opens, you first see a short Contenta Games intro and then the Bloom Haven title. Press Skip if you want to go faster.

Next comes the Save slots screen, with the game's name as its title. There are three cards: Save 1, Save 2 and Save 3. An empty card says Not played yet. Press New game on one of them. Later, the same card shows how many puzzles you have cleared, and the button says Continue. Each slot is a separate garden, so a brother or sister can have their own. Read more on saving and save slots.

Step 2: look around your garden

You arrive in the garden of Chapter 1 · The welcome garden. The big title says Something lovely is growing. Mira, your garden neighbour, says: "That gate hasn't opened in years. Shall we let a little colour in?"

Here is what you see:

Your next project is A warm welcome, and it costs 1 leaf. You have no leaves yet, so the card says Play a puzzle to earn more leaves. A guide box called Let's grow together also appears. It counts its steps from 1/4 to 4/4. Press Play a puzzle.

Step 3: make your first match (guide step 1/4)

Puzzle 1 asks you to Collect flowers: 8 coral flowers in 24 moves. The guide says: "Choose flower 1, then flower 2. Swap the glowing neighbours to make four matching flowers."

Two tiles glow with the numbers 1 and 2. Choose flower 1, then flower 2. They swap, and four coral flowers in a row clear away. Because you matched four, a power-up appears: a special flower with an arrow on it.

If you lose track of the glowing flowers, press Show me in the guide box. You can also press Skip guide at any time if you already know how to play.

Step 4: use your first power-up (guide step 2/4)

The guide says: "You made a special flower! Choose the glowing flower, then press Use this power-up."

1. Choose the power-up flower. The tiles it will clear light up.
2. Press Use this power-up. The whole row clears.

Using a power-up costs one move, just like a swap. All four power-ups are on the power-ups page.

Step 5: fill the goal (guide step 3/4)

Now the guide says: "Lovely! Keep matching coral flowers until the goal is full." Watch the counter under Your goal. It goes up for every coral flower you clear, even ones that clear by themselves when new flowers fall in. When it reaches 8, the puzzle is done.

Stuck? Press Show a useful match above the board. Two flowers glow. Hints are always free.

Step 6: your first reward

You see Look what you grew! and One leaf for your garden. If you made it without extra moves or Relaxed play, the card also says A clever clear!, which means you earned a medal. The guide adds: "That leaf can build our welcome sign. Let's see what one little puzzle can grow!"

Below are a few small buttons under How did it feel? (Too hard, Too slow, More decorating). They are optional notes that stay on your device.

Press Build our welcome sign.

Step 7: build the welcome sign (guide step 4/4)

The card Make it yours opens with a picture of your garden. Pick a style:

The picture changes as you try each one. Press Bring it to life · 1 leaf. The sign appears, you see A lovely little change!, and Mira says: "Now everyone will know they are welcome. Your first little corner is ours!"

That is the whole guide. You can change the style later for free; see the garden areas.

Step 8: keep going

Your next project is Flowers by the gate for 1 leaf. Press Play a puzzle for puzzle 2. From now on it is the same happy loop: play a puzzle, earn a leaf, build the next project. Puzzle 2 asks for 11 golden flowers, and puzzle 3 for 14 blue flowers; the whole list is on all 60 puzzles.

Common beginner mistakes

• Choosing two flowers that are not neighbours. The second flower just becomes your new choice. Pick one right above, below, left or right of the first.
• A swap that makes no match. You see Try matching three of the same flower. Nothing moves and no move is used.
• Tapping a power-up twice. The second tap drops your choice. Press Use this power-up instead.
• Looking for a timer. There is none. Take your time.

Next

• Controls: every way to play.
• How the puzzles work: the full rules of the board.
• Tips for new gardeners: easy ways to win with moves to spare.
• Play Bloom Haven now.

• About Bloom Haven
• All game guides