Open Garden Squares Weekend 2013: Number 10 Downing Street

It’s hard to imagine the Camerons using their back garden like most families: SamCam hanging out the laundry while David turns burgers on the barbecue and the kids play croquet. Still, the opportunity to have a peak at their private lawn shouldn’t be missed. The open ballot (for a chance to win one of forty places on a garden tour) closes on May 21, and winners will be notified around May 29. If you’re one of the chosen few, what you’ll be privy to is an L-shape lawn, flowerbeds, vegetable patch, benches, birdfeeders and roses lining the main pathway. If you’re really lucky, you might also spot Number 10’s cat Larry playing with the Chancellor’s cat, Freya. Politics buffs, meanwhile, will revel in the fact that this is the garden that hosted the announcement of the coalition in May 2010, as well as the Cameron/Obama military barbecue. See our feature and visit the festival website (www.opensquares.org) for details of all participating gardens. Strict conditions apply. Access for ballot ticket holders only on Saturday.