Tend to your own little piece of botany bliss (and peace of mind) in the cosy Window Garden. With its soothing lo-fi beats, flittering birds and butterflies and ever-growing plant collection, life here is all about zen.

We spoke to Philippines-based developer Camilla Santiago of Clover-Fi Games to learn more about her idyllic creation.

Santiago started making games as a hobby during the pandemic. And her inspiration for this game actually came from her mother’s own window garden, where some of the game’s original plants such as Aloe Vera and Peace Lily bloom.

There are more than a hundred plant species in Window Garden, from herbs and vegetables for the kitchen to orchids for the bathroom. With time, care, water and sunlight, your seedlings will slowly sprout and flower.

“I always research the plant and try to match its water and sunlight needs in the game,” shares Santiago. “A goal of the game is to encourage players to grow their own indoor gardens and provide them with tips on how to care for them.”

Pro tip: Play mini-games inspired by classics such as whack-a-mole to replenish your sunlight and water supplies.

Even Window Garden’s virtual plants can wither if you neglect them. While Santiago was initially conflicted about this given the game’s relaxing nature, she found that it’s actually what keeps players coming back. And if your plants are looking a little worse for wear, some extra TLC will revive them in no time.

Pro tip: Use the Sleep Timer to change the weather, collect sunlight and water, as well as score Sleep Rewards when you return to the game.

While a flourishing garden is the best centrepiece for every room, no house is a home without some personality.

You can add pops of it through wall decorations and adorable pots and planters, plus shelves and racks to show off your plants. All of it (and there’s a lot of it) can be collected through missions and the game’s capsule toy machine, even the limited-time seasonal drops.

Easter eggs are a big part of Window Garden, and they take the form of egg-shaped decor items. What started as a fun request from the game’s community has since inspired players to hide these eggs in their rooms and send other community members on a wild egg hunt. Some players have even built entire egg pyramids!

Pro tip: During Frenzy mode, which is activated by tapping the visiting birds and butterflies, tap the Golden Butterfly to get a random item.

From ending doom-scrolling to cultivating gratitude, Santiago has received many stories from players about the impact that Window Garden has had on their lives.

The game’s thriving Discord community has players showing off their in-game creations in the #Screenshots channel and even asking for help with plant identification in the aptly named #Real-life-garden.

With its thoughtful design and charming gameplay, Window Garden is an impressive first game from Santiago. But when asked about what she loves most about the title, she says: “When players say it helped them sleep better or calmed them down during [moments of] anxiety, it’s one of the greatest accomplishments I’ve achieved in making the game.”