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Neighbors Honor Memory of The “Tulip House Lady”

East Isles neighbors honored the late “Tulip House” gardener Lisa Stortz by dedicating a bench and planting tulip bulbs in Levin Triangle Park — ensuring her legacy of color and community will bloom each spring.

9:52 AM CDT on November 1, 2025

Community members gathered Oct. 10 in Levin Triangle Park to plant tulips in memory of Lisa Stortz, known for her colorful “Tulip House” on Humboldt Avenue. (Image: Joe Peris)

Paula Chesley is a neighborhood volunteer. She lives in East Isles.

On Oct. 10, East Isles neighbors planted tulip bulbs and dedicated a bench in Levin Triangle Park to commemorate Lisa Stortz, the beloved owner and gardener of the Tulip House who died in June.

Lisa’s neighbors have created a Venmo fund for the memorial garden, and the planting will take place annually. The “Humboldt Heroes” — Lisa’s term for the neighbors on her block — are also planting tulips in their front yards and boulevards so that when folks drive down the 2400 block of Humboldt Avenue in the spring, they will still see plenty of tulips.

The plan is to continue the tradition, spreading the joy of the Tulip House into future years.

If you’d like to honor Lisa’s memory, there are two ways to do so. You can contribute to Lisa’s memorial garden fund at Levin Park via Venmo at @TulipsForLisa, or plant tulips in your front yard or boulevard to help spread the joy of the Tulip House throughout our neighborhoods.

(Images: Craig Wilson)

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