Number 10 garden open for lucky 25

Wednesday 6th June 2012

The gardens of 10 Downing Street will be opened to 25 prize winners as part of an event celebrating green spaces across London.

The plot at the famous residence will be among 200 gardens opened across 25 London boroughs for Open Garden Squares Weekend.

The 25 guests who were selected from a ticket ballot will visit the garden as part of the initiative, organised by the London Parks And Gardens Trust and supported by The National Trust.

The event, which runs on June 9 and 10, is designed for people to see gardens which are not usually open to the public.

Downing Street agreed to take part after The National Trust appealed to the Prime Minister David Cameron to open up the space as a Big Society gesture to the London Parks And Gardens Trust, which is based less than 200 metres away from Downing Street in Duck Island Cottage, on St James's Park Lake.

Mr Cameron said: "The garden at Downing Street has seen many historic moments over the years and I have enjoyed hosting visitors to Number 10 there.

"Open Garden Squares Weekend is a fantastic initiative which opens up parts of London which most people wouldn't otherwise get to see. I'm really pleased that this year the garden behind the famous Number 10 door will be added to that list."

Robin Saklatvala, Open Garden Squares Weekend co-ordinator, said: "We like to provide opportunities for people to visit memorable and unique places that they cannot normally access."

Tickets for the weekend can be bought at http://www.opensquares.org. They cost £9 in advance and £12 during the weekend, or £4.50 in advance for National Trust members and £6 over the weekend. Tickets are not available for the gardens at Downing Street.

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