Garden of 10 and 11 Downing Street, Private garden in Westminster, United Kingdom
The Garden of 10 and 11 Downing Street is a private L-shaped space behind the residences of the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer in London's Whitehall district. The grounds cover roughly half an acre with manicured lawns, flowerbeds, and planted areas that serve as a retreat from the busy streets outside.
The garden took its current form around 1960 and has served for decades as a private retreat for government officials. Key moments from Britain's recent political history have unfolded here, shaping its role as a behind-the-scenes space of power and decision-making.
The garden displays notable artworks, including Barbara Hepworth's sculpture 'Hollow Form with Inner Form' and Michael Craig-Martin's red lightbulb installation 'Bulb', which visitors occasionally glimpse from nearby streets.
The space remains closed to the public and primarily serves official state functions, meetings, and diplomatic events. Those interested in learning about it can research its history through public records and occasional media coverage from official occasions held there.
A woodland section grows around a crater left by a mortar attack from the Provisional Irish Republican Army. This scar has been preserved as a reminder of a tense period in modern British politics.
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