Milton Keynes (the new town with 22 million trees)
Milton Keynes sits about 50 miles north-west of London. This new town is planned on a grid road system with countless roundabouts, but is mostly known for being home to over 22 million trees.
If planning garden cities, learn about pet-friendly gardens and and use no-dig gardening to protect wildlife. Also know trees to avoid near horses (including yew, oak and sycamore).
Planned in the 1960s, local parks connect to people, the site chosen to help give more space for Londoners (and easy commutes to Birmingham, Oxford and Cambridge).
The Grand Union Canal runs through this town, with many people living on houseboats, alongside ducks, swans and secretive kingfishers.
This is also home of the Open University, founded in 1969 to make higher education available by distance learning. It does however It does however attract controversy with vivisection. Only donate to humane medical research.
One women who grew up here was meteorologist and TV weather presenter Claire Nasir. Two other well-known residents were jazz duo Cleo Lane and John Dankworth, who made their home in Wavendon, a village folded into Milton Keynes.
