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The Secret Life of Trees:

Season 1

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The Secret Life of Trees

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• Season 1
• 3 episodes

• Nature

Summary

Cameras follow the life cycle of trees, discovering how they grow, communicate and discover water.

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Episode 1: The Early Years

Summary

Cameras follow the lives of trees, from tiny seeds to towering giants. Discover how they grow, communicate, and find water, even in the driest places. The first episode features young trees, and reveals how they magically transform from minute seeds into mature adults. But with fewer than one in a thousand seeds reaching adulthood, a tree's early years are the most treacherous of its life. Michael Palin narrates

Review

David Butcher

You could happily watch the opener of this series with the sound muted and some mellow massage- parlour music on in the background. It lulls us with floaty aerial tree footage and leafy close-ups — cherry blossom, spreading oaks, giant redwoods, and an orchard of lemon trees on the Amalfi Coast with sunlit fruit half the size of rugby balls.

Then again, since the commentary is read by the great Michael Palin, it seems a shame to miss out as he gently underlines the visuals with GCSE-type snippets on lifecycles and photosynthesis. We meet stout baobabs in Madagascar and ginkgos in Kew and hear the quiet popping sound as a eucalyptus tree sucks up water.

How to watch

Next showing

There are no live broadcasts scheduled for this show. But it is available via the streaming provider below.

Streaming

• My5

Details

Released on

2025-07-25

Languages

Formats

Colour

Credits

Crew

rolenameNarratorMichael PalinProducerNathan BuddExecutive producerLucy CarterExecutive producerHelen Docherty

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All episodes

• 
  
  Episode 3
  
  Old Age

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• 
  
  Episode 2
  
  Adulthood

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• 
  
  Episode 1
  
  The Early Years

  Summary

  Cameras follow the lives of trees, from tiny seeds to towering giants. Discover how they grow, communicate, and find water, even in the driest places. The first episode features young trees, and reveals how they magically transform from minute seeds into mature adults. But with fewer than one in a thousand seeds reaching adulthood, a tree's early years are the most treacherous of its life. Michael Palin narrates

  Review

  David Butcher

  You could happily watch the opener of this series with the sound muted and some mellow massage- parlour music on in the background. It lulls us with floaty aerial tree footage and leafy close-ups — cherry blossom, spreading oaks, giant redwoods, and an orchard of lemon trees on the Amalfi Coast with sunlit fruit half the size of rugby balls.

  Then again, since the commentary is read by the great Michael Palin, it seems a shame to miss out as he gently underlines the visuals with GCSE-type snippets on lifecycles and photosynthesis. We meet stout baobabs in Madagascar and ginkgos in Kew and hear the quiet popping sound as a eucalyptus tree sucks up water.

  How to watch

  Next showing

  There are no live broadcasts scheduled for this show. But it is available via the streaming provider below.

  Streaming

  • My5

  Details

  Released on

  2025-07-25

  Languages

  Formats

  Colour

  Credits

  Crew

  rolenameNarratorMichael PalinProducerNathan BuddExecutive producerLucy CarterExecutive producerHelen Docherty

  • Share on facebook
  • Share on twitter
  • Share on pinterest
  • Share on reddit
  • Email to a friend

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IMDB

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7.9/10

How to watch

Next showing

There are no live broadcasts scheduled for this show. But it is available via the streaming provider below.

Streaming

• My5

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