Pasadena Gardens: A Community Documentary by Aterspace

A THREE-PART DOCUMENTARY SERIES

About the Series

Pasadena Gardens is a three-part documentary series hosted by Jodhan Fine of the Pasadena Audubon Society that highlights how everyday Pasadena gardens are quietly becoming a critical habitat for native birds. Each episode follows one garden, the birds it attracts, and the people behind the space, blending personal stories with accessible ecological education.

At its heart, Pasadena Gardens is about coexistence. How people and birds learn to share space, and how gardens can become bridges between human communities and the natural world.

In partnership with Pasadena Audubon Society

Rooted in Connection

Pasadena Gardens reveals the quiet transformation unfolding just beyond our front doors. Through intimate stories of gardeners, conservationists, and the wildlife returning to these spaces, the series invites us to witness how acts of care can restore habitat, rekindle our relationship with the natural world, and inspire a future where people and nature flourish together.

Featured gardens

Arlington Garden

Hummingbird Cantina at The Gamble House

Mills Wildlife Sanctuary

Behind the scenes

Behind the Scenes at Arlington Garden
Photo by Jax Nolan

Behind the Scenes at Arlington Garden
Photo by Elisa Sandez

Behind the Scenes at Hummingbird Cantina
Video Still by Michael Stanis

Behind the Scenes at Hummingbird Cantina
Photo by Jax Nolan

Behind the Scenes at Hummingbird Cantina (Gamble House)
Photo by Jax Nolan

Behind the Scenes at Mills Wildlife Sanctuary
Photo by Jax Nolan

Behind the Scenes at Hummingbird Cantina
Still by Michael Stanis

Share the Space.

This is Lily.

The mourning dove that lives among us in the spaces we often overlook. A reflection on coexistence.

Made in Pasadena.

Why Your Support Matters

Pasadena Gardens was filmed through the generosity of volunteers, community partners, and donated time and equipment. Your support helps transform this footage into a finished documentary series that educates, inspires, and celebrates the people creating habitat for wildlife in Pasadena. Every contribution directly supports free community screening events, activities, art, and bringing these stories back to the neighborhoods where they began.

Support from

City of Pasadena Cultural Affairs Division
2026–2027 Annual Grant Program

Post-Production Support
Los Angeles Public Library, Octavia Lab

ATERSPACE JOURNAL

Behind-the-scenes updates, story developments, and observations from the people and places shaping the work.

Fly there!

The Mourning Dove Advisory Board

Rose & Dotty - Founding Members, Inspiration

It began with two Mourning Doves named Rose and Dotty. In 2023, during a stormy spring day, I put up a basket in my backyard out of intuition. The very next day, two Mourning Doves appeared, took shelter from the storm, and made it part of their daily lives. Rose and Dotty returned regularly, eventually introducing their babies to the garden. Over time, I watched multiple generations of their family grow, fledge, and return. The backyard became more than a garden - it became habitat. That experience became the seed for Pasadena Gardens.

Lily & Fern - Associate Producers, Backyard Division

Fern and Lily are the children of Rose and Dotty, the first generation born into a family that helped inspire Pasadena Gardens.

Artemis & Star - Leaders of Exploration & Innovation

Artemis and Star are the offspring of Fern and his mate, Luna, representing the next generation of a family that has returned to the garden year after year.

PASADENA GARDENS