Public invited to take home free exotic plants from site that will become Central Milton Keynes' new tower block development

Exotic plants that provided the centrepiece of one of the city centre’s most building are to be offered free to green-fingered members of the public.

Saxon Court was built by the former Milton Keynes Development Corporation in 1981 and later became the council’s housing offices.

At its centre is a huge atrium, decorated with a spectacular display of exotic and unusual plants – some of which have grown to massive proportions over the years.

But the building was sold lock, stock and barrel to developers and now has planning permission to be converted and extended into ‘MK Gateway’ – a complex of 288 apartments, including a 33-storey high ‘vertical village’ tower block.

The atrium itself will become an indoor public space for local independent food, drink, and leisure companies.

To clear the plants, MK Gateway developers Socius and investor partner Patron are organising a series of special workshops for the next three Saturdays.

Participants will learn about the different species, where each plant originates in the world, and the adaptions it’s made to survive in its natural habitat.

They will also learn about the benefits plants have on physical and mental wellbeing, as well as the environment.

After learning how to re-pot, water and feed the plants, all attendees will take their chosen species home with them.

The free workshops will be held at Saxon Court, which was used as the city’s main vaccination centre during the Covid pandemic, on each Saturday until December 10, from 10am to 12.30pm.

You can book a place here.