David Attenborough's '90s Garden Pioneered The Wild Trend

david attenborough in his garden — (Image credit: Colin Davey via Getty Images)

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Recreate David's Look at Home

I recently watched David Attenborough's Wild London documentary, and was surprised how emotional it made me. The idea that an abundance of flora and fauna lives in symbiosis with humans in the bustling metropolis was such a magical realization. Of course, David Attenborough has always seen the beauty of the natural world in the UK capital, best embodied by his wild garden in West London.

A photoshoot from 1998 shows David's Richmond garden in all its untamed glory, bursting with greenery. His stone walls are overflowing with dryopteris fern foliage. The presenter poses in front of a small pond in the center of his urban wild garden, bursting with water lilies. The overall effect is an outdoor space defined by perfected imperfection.

Though David was already using the natural style with his '90s plants, he was a pioneer. In 2026, this wild, sustainable look is the predominant trend in garden design. To explore the trend, let's take a look back in time to David's 1998 garden. I have also curated an edit of plants and tools to help you get the look, and interviewed a landscape expert on the popularity of David's design to help guide you on your own backyard transformation this season. Let's dive in.

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Recreate David's Look at Home

Mixed Color Flowers

Lotus Seeds for Planting in Water

If you want to grow waterlillies on your at home pond, these seeds are the perfect place to start. There is nothing more rewarding than growing these stunning flowers from seed.

Made of volcanic ash

Weather-resistant

Shaped to resemble a natural rock, this exclusive planter brings an organic, sculptural touch to any space. Crafted from a blend of volcanic ash from Mt. Pinatubo, natural stone, and resin, it’s lightweight, watertight, and weather-resistant.

Hearty

Autumn Fern

Ferns are one of the prettiest and easiest to care for garden plants. These plants are gorgeous paired with a small pond like in David's yard.

Highly-Rated

Felco Pruners

These Felco pruning shears have hardened blades for effortless trimming in your yard, making light work of tough rose pruning jobs. They're essential in every kind of garden.

Martha Stewart's Current Pick

Miracle-Gro Raised Bed Soil

Miracle-Gro’s latest organic raised bed and garden soil features a quick-release natural fertilizer designed to support stronger growth and boost vegetable yields.

Weather-Resistant

Martha Stewart 4-Piece Trowel and Cultivator Planting Set

Spring gardening is easier and more stylish with this durable, weather-resistant set. It includes a trowel, transplanter, and two cultivators, making planting, weeding, and garden care effortless.

Robert Witcomb, Sustainable Garden Design Expert at sustainable fencing company eComposite Products, explains the gardening trend.

He states: 'Spring 2026 is shaping up to be a turning point for garden design, where sustainability and practicality are no longer secondary considerations but central to how outdoor spaces are planned. Homeowners are increasingly drawn to gardens that support wildlife, require less maintenance, and still feel intentional and well-designed. This shows a broader understanding that gardens play an important role in urban ecology and everyday well-being.'

In David Attenborough's garden, stone walls are a huge asset to his flourishing wild greenspace. This idea will persist in the 2026 iterations of his look. Robert states: 'We are also seeing growing interest in materials and layouts that support vertical planting, rewilding, and long-term durability. Features such as living green walls, naturalized borders, and modular garden structures allow people to make better use of limited space while contributing positively to biodiversity.'

Beyond their beauty and sustainability, this look may also have positive effects on the value of your home.

Robert says: 'Looking ahead, sustainable choices are increasingly linked to long-term value. Gardens designed with durable, low-maintenance materials and wildlife-friendly features tend to age better, cost less to maintain, and appeal more strongly to future buyers. Investing in eco-conscious outdoor design is not just about reducing environmental impact, but about creating resilient, attractive spaces that remain relevant and valuable over time.'

As David Attenborough would attest, the gardens of the future prioritize longevity and natural beauty. This way, we will have a wild London for centuries to come.

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Sophie is a writer and News Editor on the Celebrity Style team at Homes & Gardens. She is fascinated by the intersection of design and popular culture and is particularly passionate about researching trends and interior history. She is an avid pop culture fan and has interviewed Martha Stewart and Hillary Duff.

In her free time, Sophie freelances on design news for Westport Magazine and Livingetc. She also has a newsletter, My Friend's Art, in which she covers music, culture, and fine art through a personal lens. Her fiction has appeared in Love & Squalor and The Isis Magazine.

Before joining Future, Sophie worked in editorial at Fig Linens and Home, a boutique luxury linens brand. She has an MSc from Oxford University and a BA in Creative Writing and Sociology from Sarah Lawrence College.