The BBC has commissioned Secret Garden, a five-part natural history series for BBC One, produced by Plimsoll Productions, as part of its programming marking the 100th birthday of David Attenborough.
Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, the new five-part 60-minute series, Secret Garden, will examine wildlife across five domestic gardens in the UK, focusing on how species adapt to environments shaped by human activity, from pine martens in the Western Highlands to dormice in South Wales. The series builds on Attenborough’s recent focus on UK ecosystems, following projects such as Wild Isles and Wild London.
The concept for Secret Garden originated during the Covid-19 lockdown period when interest in gardening surged. Series producer Bill Markham at Plimsoll Productions described gardens as “unsung heroes” and noted that the “laws of the jungle still apply” even in small urban or suburban spaces.
The series emphasises the importance of wildlife on our doorstep, as domestic gardens represent a significant ecological resource. The RHS State of Gardening report (2025) revealed that gardens are critical components of the UK’s biodiversity network, collectively amounting to 959,800 hectares or 4.6% of the nation’s land area.
“Some British gardens are almost as diverse as a tropical rainforest,” said Markham, adding that an average garden can contain around 2,600 species of plants and animals.
Common lizard ©BBC / Plimsoll Productions
©BBC / Plimsoll Productions
Markham explained the programme may challenge expectations of Attenborough’s work, noting that “there’s no lions and tigers”. Instead, he said the series is intended to more relatable, reflecting where Attenborough’s interest in natural history began – close to home.
The series includes a number of first-time or rarely filmed behaviours, including a pine marten hunting sand martins in the UK, an otter preying on ducks, and sequences of mayflies and damselflies competing in a scene likened to the nail-biting “snakes versus iguana” sequence from Planet Earth II. Another sequence shows field mice using landmarks to navigate, compared to the story of Hansel and Gretel.
Zebra jumping spider ©BBC / Plimsoll Productions
©BBC / Plimsoll Productions
The programme also aims to address eco-anxiety by highlighting practical steps viewers can take to support wildlife, including measures that may prove contentious. According to figures cited in the series, Britain’s 9.5 million pet cats may kill an estimated 55 million birds annually. Attenborough highlights that fitting cats with bells can reduce hunting success by around a third, while raising bird feeders can also help reduce fatalities.
Secret Garden is co-produced with The Open University and National Trust, in association with Arte France. Executive producers are Grant Mansfield, Martha Holmes and Mark Brownlow, with Markham serving as series producer. The commissioning editor for the BBC is Tom Watt-Smith.
Secret Garden will air from 5 April on BBC One (18:00) and BBC iPlayer.
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