Grosvenor Square Garden

Grosvenor Square Garden is one of London’s Royal Parks and is the September 11 Memorial Garden, which is overseen by the Roosevelt Memorial Act of Secretary of State. It is a property of the Duke of Westminster hence getting its name from the family.

In the 1720s, some of the Grosvenor family member begun developing the park, as a focal point to their estate. Initially, there was only limited access given to local residents to look after and care for. The design of the park took up a shape of an oval which is the shape it is to this day. During the 19th and 20th century, trees were introduced with the park taking upon a simpler form.

From the 1930s, the park started to have a strong association with the USA with the embassy being established at 1 Grosvenor Square by the park. The President Roosevelt Memorial and the Eagle Squadron monument have been erected since then.

During World War II, the park was severely damaged from the onset of war. In 1946, the park was made a public space as part of the peacetime celebrations. The Ministry of Works looked after the park during this duration.

Sums of contributions from all over the United Kingdom were put forward to erect the President Roosevelt statue through a memorial committee, as a way to remember Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In the presence of King George VI, the statue was unveiled by Mrs Franklin Delano Roosevelt, on 12 April 1948.

The Eagle Squadrons Memorial was created to commemorate the 244 Americans and 16 British fighter pilots and other personnel serving USA during World War II in the 3 Royal Air Force Eagle Squadrons. It was erected in 1985.

The September 11 Memorial Garden was created in memory of the lost ones during the attack of 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in USA as a testament to their love and courage. Consultations were sought with family members and the Memorial Garden was opened on 11 September, 2003. The columns of the pergola are made of a single oak trunk. 67 British citizens lost during the attacks are commemorated on the 3 bronze plaques on display at the pergola.

The Memorial Stone, carved by hand, has an extract from the American poet Henry Van Dyke. Under the Memorial Stone contains a steel girder preserved by resin, which was recovered from the World Trade Center. In the surroundings in the Garden contains flowers with their unique representations: Coneflower, Ivy, Lily, Phlox, Rosemary and White Rose Sally Holmes. The flowers were inspired by a posy presented to the Queen at a special memorial service.

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