From defense strategies against predators to the exotic mating rituals of blossoms, this striking series allows us to witness the cycles of life and interactions within the ecosystem throughout the year in a backyard garden.

Stunning cinemtaography guided by an outstanding team of scientific advisors reveals the ecology of chipmunks, sap suckers, weevils and leafhoppers.

Each program in this 13-part series spotlights the four seasons in the life of a different group of flora and fauna.

The episodes in the series are:

1. Life In A Vegetable Garden - Many mouths to feed, and clever ways to avoid becoming a meal.

2. Nightlife - What comes out at night in the garden.

3. Honeybees - The role of honeybees in a common garden.

4. Appleachia - The amazing array of life an apple tree can lure into a garden.

5. Fungi - What you see is only the tip of the iceberg.

6. Sap Sucking Hoppers - The astronauts of the garden.

7. Garden Mimics - More than meets the eye.

8. Vines - The good, the bad and the ugly side of vines.

9. Whether The Weather - How plants survive the stress of changes in the weather.

10. Weevils - They crawl, they fly, and some even swim...

11. Squirrels - What are these chipmunks and squirrels doing in the garden?

12. The Old Oak Tree - The diverse world of oaks and their residents.

13. Life In A Lawn - Paradise is a well-tended lawn.



Grade Level: 3-12, College, Adult
US Release Date: 2007     Copyright Date: 2004
DVD ISBN: 1-59458-649-7

Reviews "The most eye-popping series." The (Toronto) Gobe and Mail "Through dramatic macro-photography, viewers enter the sci-fi beauty of the garden and gain a new perspective on the interactive roles played by everything from the lowly earwig to the majestic rose." The Toronto Star "The Old Oak Tree is a very entertaining look at the entire ecosystem that the tree supports. I found the information about the oak trees' defenses to be extremely interesting, from the production of a gall to the branch collar, it was all fascinating. The time-lapse video footage was great, and really was able to show and explain the process of the 17-year cicada life cycle in a clear way. The video did a great job of tying together the adaptations of the oak tree and the creatures that depend on it for survival. I am looking forward to sharing these videos with our garden educators and I am sure they will find the videos very entertaining and interesting as well." Emily Jackson, School Program Coordinator, Norfolk Botanical Garden "Nightlife brings to light in vivid detail ecological and behavioral interactions that occur in the garden during the night shift. Pollination strategies and how animals use and often exploit visual, pheromone, and acoustic mating signals in the night environment are particularly well done. Nightlife can enhance the understanding and appreciation of ecology and behavior at any grade level. In my advanced animal behavior course I can use various scenes to illustrate concepts and to provide an engaging, aesthetic balance to lectures." Dr. Randy Hunt, Department of Biology, Indiana University Southeast "As an educator, I am always looking for fun and educational videos to help reinforce what we are teaching the children. Garden Mimics is a fun and visually stimulating piece. The information provided is very appropriate for upper elementary and middle school students." Stacy Carr-Poole, Director of Education, Riverbend Environmental Education Center