THE Wanstead Society is offering a year’s free family membership to the person who can paint or sketch the best picture of the Corner House garden.

The garden, which is located at the front of the Alan Burgess Centre on the corner of Grove Park and Wanstead High Street, has been lovingly planted and tended by Wanstead Society member Marian Temple, who also looks after the flowerbeds on the High Street.

She said: “The garden was full of weeds and rubbish when we started looking after it eight years ago.

“We like to keep it looking nice and people love it.

“When I’m working on it, passers-by often stop to say how much they enjoy looking at all the flowers.”

Fellow Wanstead Society member, Billie Figg said: "Wanstead must be the only London suburb to have a cottage garden in its high street.

“We will display people’s pictures of the garden on our stand at The Wanstead Festival on Christchurch Green in September.”

Anyone interested in submitting a sketch or painting should contact the Wanstead Society by emailing them at info@wansteadsociety.org.uk Click here to follow the Wanstead & Woodford Guardian on Twitter