JHHD May 2026 Yard of the Month

5531 Victor

Linda Tomczak

Big congratulations to Linda Tomczak at 5531 Victor—she’s been named the May Yard of the Month recipient in Junius Heights Historic District!

If you haven’t strolled down Victor Street lately, you’re missing a treat. Linda’s yard is beautiful year-round, but right now it’s absolutely bursting with spring color—and every week there’s something new popping into bloom.

Linda bought her charming 1910 Craftsman home back in 1997, and the place needed lots of love—inside and out. While she tackled the renovation, she also rolled up her sleeves and started reclaiming a yard that was full of waist-high weeds and invasive plants.

She’ll be the first to tell you she didn’t start out as a gardening expert—she learned a ton from neighbors, dove into plant catalogs, and fell in love with pollinator and host plants (especially the ones that bring in Swallowtail butterflies!).

Fast forward a few years (and a lot of dedication), and Linda’s yard is now a vibrant, pollinator-friendly garden for all of us to enjoy. You’ll spot butterflies and bees near the house and along the median, with blooms like Engelmann daisy, daylilies, coneflower, yarrow, blue-black salvia, mealy sage—and so much more. And a special shout out to the beautiful Ginkgo Tree in the front yard that she planted as a sapling in a 4” pot.

And Linda doesn’t keep all that plant joy to herself. She started the Junius Heights & Friends Garden Club to help spread beauty around the neighborhood, and she often coordinates plant swaps where neighbors can share what they’re growing. New to gardening? Come anyway—no swaps required to join in and start your own little green oasis. If you catch Linda outside, don’t be surprised if she sends you home with a few treasured cuttings, too.

We’re so grateful for neighbors like Linda who make Junius Heights such a special place to live. Congratulations again, Linda!