Join Cate Blanchett, Kew’s Ambassador for Wakehurst on a journey through the past, present and future of the pioneering Millennium Seed Bank.
She discovers the ambitious origins of the MSB, joins collectors in the fields of the South Downs to bank vital seeds, and learns about the plans to send seeds beyond the earth itself.
From restoring habitats to protecting biodiversity, these seeds hold the promise of our planet’s future. This is no distant insurance policy. It’s one we’re already relying on — and one that will only grow in importance as our climate changes and biodiversity is lost.
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Special premiere episode
The new series of Unearthed: The need for seeds from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew launches with a very special conversation.
A long-time champion of nature, His Majesty King Charles III opened the MSB in 2000 and has taken an active interest in its work ever since. His Majesty joins Cate Blanchett, and Kew’s Senior Research Leader in Seed Conservation Dr Elinor Breman in the gardens of Windsor Castle, to reflect on the Millennium Seed Bank's vital role in securing the future of plant life on Earth.
Episode 1 – The Past: the vision that got us here
The MSB started life as a modest chest freezer housed in an English chapel. It’s now a multi-layered vault housing over 2.5 billion wild seeds, with partnerships all over the world.
In this first episode, Cate dives into the rich history of the bank, discovers the extraordinary variety of seeds stored to protect our global food systems, and learns about the vital role banked seeds have already played in regenerating and restoring habitats.
Episode 2 – The Present
The MSB holds over 2.5 billion seeds – but where do they all come from, and how do they end up in those deep underground vaults?
In this episode, Cate joins Wakehurst scientists on a seed-collecting mission in the South of England. Searching for yellow rattle, she learns how scientists balance collecting enough for research while leaving nature undisturbed.
She also hears about the global partnerships that support research all across the globe, and how seeds are dried, cleaned, and x-rayed before being sealed deep in the vaults.
Episode 3 – The Future
In the final episode of Unearthed: The need for seeds, Cate looks ahead to the next 25 years of the Millennium Seed Bank – and beyond.
First stop: space. Discover how experiments in orbit are helping scientists understand how plants might survive extreme environments — from future planets to a changing Earth. Hear how Wakehurst’s cryogenic labs are being used to develop new preservation techniques for seeds too fragile for conventional storage.
Finally, Cate reflects on what she’s learned, banking on the knowledge that something as small as a seed can provide one of the greatest solutions to our planet’s future.
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