David Attenborough explores the hidden wildlife of Britain’s gardens in new OU / BBC series

Posted on 1 April 2026 • Science, maths, computing and technology, TV and radio

A new OU / BBC series, Secret Garden begins Sunday 5 April at 6pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Sir David Attenborough explores the hidden wildlife thriving in Britain’s gardens in a new five‑part series. Filmed in five contrasting gardens across the UK, the series uncovers the remarkable lives of the often charming, and sometimes daring, animals living just beyond our back doors.

From pine martens in the Western Highlands to dormice in south Wales, swallows in the Lake District, otters in Oxfordshire and blue tits in Bristol, Attenborough reveals a surprising diversity of species making their homes alongside us. Even in these peaceful settings, the rules of the wild still apply.

The series also meets the gardeners creating these vital pockets of habitat and shows how small actions can support struggling species. With 80% of Britons having access to a garden, an area larger than all the UK’s national nature reserves combined, our backyards now play a crucial role in wildlife conservation.

The series was supported by Dr Kadmiel Maseyk, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Sciences and Dr Lucy Dablin, Lecturer in Environment and Sustainability who provided the academic expertise for the programme.

Reflecting on her contribution to the series, Dr Lucy Dablin explains

My research focuses on the relationships between nature, communities and changing landscapes, particularly in the Amazon. It has been especially rewarding to work with the relationships between humans and nature in the UK via the Secret Garden series. My goal is to make academic knowledge accessible for wider audiences, and I enjoy connecting communities to new perspectives on their environments.

Supporting Online content:

Visit our Broadcast & Partnerships site OU Connect where you can discover the wildlife on your doorstep with our Secret Garden interactive experience.

This series was commissioned by Broadcast & Partnerships and is supported by the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), with particular relevance to Q52 BSc (Honours) Environmental Sciences, R58 BSc (Honours) Biology, R16 BSc (Honours) Geography & Environmental Science, Q64 BSc (Honours) Natural Sciences (Biology), Q64 BSc (Honours) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science), and the M05 MEnv Master of Environmental Science.

Commissioned by Dr Caroline Ogilvie, Director, Broadcast & Partnerships

• Academic Consultant: Dr Kadmiel Maseyk and Dr Lucy Dablin

• Media Fellow: Dr Zhraa Alhaboby

• Broadcast Project Manager: Jo Shipp and Laura Connor

• Supporting Online Content: Matthew Day

Image Credit: Plimsoll Productions