One More Lawn Elvira's Backyard: 5 cm Route and Gnomes
A clean route through Elvira's backyard: set the deck to 5 cm, protect the gnomes, trim the edges and earn a better receipt in One More Lawn.
Elvira's backyard is the best job in the demo. It has a clear rule, a fragile decoration and a receipt that judges you. It is also the job that teaches the game's real rhythm: prepare, cut, trim, check, finish. This guide gives you a route that protects the gnomes and gets the grass to 5 cm without a second pass over everything. Some layout details are randomized or player-dependent, so treat the route as a pattern rather than a fixed map.
The rules
Confirmed:
- Every blade of grass should be 5 cm.
- Do not destroy the gnomes.
- Finish the job to receive a receipt with a comment.
Not confirmed:
- A numerical score.
- A time limit.
- A bonus for a perfect stripe.
- A penalty for damaging a gnome beyond the receipt comment.
The receipt is the feedback. Read it. It tells you what the game noticed.
Before you start: the deck
Set the deck height to 5 cm before you engage the blades. This is the single most important step.
If you cut at the wrong height:
- You cannot un-cut the grass.
- You may need a second pass, which costs time.
- The receipt will notice.
The deck lever is on the mower. Set it, then check the first strip. If the cut looks too short or too long, stop and adjust before you commit to a line.
Pick a small, visible patch near the start. Cut one strip, get off the mower if you need to, and look at the height. Then commit. Elvira's lawn is not the place to discover the lever was one notch off.
The route: perimeter, interior, edges
A route that works on most lawns:
- Perimeter first. Drive the boundary with the mower, leaving room for the trimmer.
- Long straight lines. Cut the interior in parallel stripes, turning at the ends.
- Gnome zones. Slow down and widen your turn around each gnome.
- Trimmer edges. Switch to the string trimmer for fences, walls and tight corners.
- Final inspection. Walk or drive the lawn and look for missed strips.
Why perimeter first? It gives you a clean boundary to turn against, and it exposes the edges that need the trimmer. It also reduces the chance of clipping a gnome at speed.
The gnomes
The gnomes are the job's personality and its main hazard. They are small, they are easy to miss in tall grass, and Elvira does not want them destroyed.
Practical rules:
- Mark them mentally before you cut. Drive the perimeter slowly and note every gnome.
- Do not cut close at full speed. The mower's deck is wide; a gnome at the edge of the deck is already too close.
- Use the trimmer near gnomes. It is slower and more precise.
- Do not reverse into a gnome. Reversing is the most common accidental hit.
- If a teammate is near a gnome, give them space. Six mowers around one gnome is a disaster.
The gnome guide→ covers the different placements and the repair question.
Grass height and terrain
Elvira's lawn is not a flat rectangle. It has patches, edges and props. The 5 cm rule applies to the grass, not the dirt or the paths.
If a patch is too tall:
- Make a second pass at the same height. Do not lower the deck to compensate; that creates a scalp.
- If the mower struggles, slow down. The blades need time to cut.
- If the grass is wet or dense, the cut may be uneven. That is a limitation, not a bug.
Do not chase a perfect uniform height by cutting lower. The receipt wants 5 cm, not 3 cm.
The trimmer pass
The trimmer is for the places the mower cannot reach:
- Fence lines.
- Wall bases.
- Tree trunks.
- Gnome bases.
- Tight corners.
- Path edges.
Do the trimmer pass after the mower pass. If you trim first, the mower will cut over the trimmed grass and make the edge uneven.
The trimmer is also your gnome-safe tool. Use it to clean around a gnome without bringing the mower deck close.
Co-op roles for Elvira
With two players:
- Player 1: mower, perimeter and interior.
- Player 2: trimmer, edges and gnome zones.
With four or six:
- Two mowers, split the lawn into halves.
- One trimmer for the fence line.
- One spotter for gnomes and missed strips.
A spotter sounds excessive until a teammate reverses into a gnome. On a six-player lobby, it is the most useful role.
The receipt
The receipt is the job's report card. It comments on the work. We do not know the exact grading formula, but the confirmed inputs are grass height and gnome safety.
Read the receipt before you leave the job. If it complains about height, check the deck. If it complains about gnomes, review your route. If it complains about something else, that is information for the next run.
Do not restart immediately after a bad receipt. Finish the job, read the comment, then decide. A restart costs more time than a second pass.
Common mistakes
Cutting before setting the deck. The classic. Set 5 cm first.
Mowing the perimeter too fast. You will clip a gnome or miss the edge.
Skipping the trimmer. The receipt notices the edges.
Lowering the deck to fix a missed patch. You scalp the grass and make it worse.
Letting six players freestyle. Assign sections. Chaos is funny for a minute, then expensive.
Ignoring the receipt. It is the only feedback the game gives you.
What we do not know
- The exact receipt grading scale.
- Whether gnome damage can be repaired.
- Whether the lawn layout is fixed or varies.
- Whether there is a time bonus.
- Whether a perfect run unlocks anything.
We will update this page after the full game is out. The route above is based on the demo and the confirmed rules.
Official source: One More Lawn store page ↗ - Elvira's backyard requires 5 cm grass and intact gnomes, and the job ends with a receipt.
FAQ
How do I get 5 cm grass in Elvira's backyard?
Set the deck to 5 cm before engaging the blades, cut a test strip, then commit. Do not lower the deck to fix a missed patch.
Can I destroy the gnomes?
You can, but Elvira does not want you to. The receipt comments on the job, and gnome safety is a confirmed rule.
Where are the gnomes?
They are scattered around the yard. Drive the perimeter slowly before you cut and note each one.
Do I need the trimmer?
Yes, for the edges. The mower cannot reach fences, walls and tight corners cleanly.
Is there a time limit?
No time limit has been confirmed.
What does the receipt grade?
The exact formula is unknown. Grass height and gnome safety are confirmed inputs.
Sources
- One More Lawn store page ↗ - Elvira's job rules.
- One More Lawn demo ↗ - the playable backyard.
- Steam community discussion: demo feedback ↗ - player impressions of the demo job.
- PlayInsider preview ↗ - job recap.
