The small northeast town of Alnwick, home to the Duchess of Northumberland's massive Alnwick Garden project, has been voted the best place to live in Britain.

A magazine survey chose the riverside market town because of its low crime rate and combination of traditional English charm and modern amenities. The town has seen an increase in tourists since the opening of the Alnwick Garden, the multi-million project to transform the gardens of Alnwick Castle.

Driven by the Duchess of Northumberland who drew her inspiration from some of the best gardens all over the world, the contemporary garden was designed by Wirtz International, the renowned Belgian father and son team. Its 12 acres contains the Grand Cascade - a tumbling mass of water constructed in a series of 30 weirs which ends n fountains reaching six metres high - and a number of smaller gardens such as the Ornamental Garden, Rose Garden and Poison Garden.

Planning permission was recently received for Treetopia, a giant tree house to be built among beach trees and spanning 600 square metres, making it one of the largest tree houses in the world. Other plans include the construction of a glass pavilion on a pool of water, for which funding is currently being sought. (LM September 2002, p70)