Stiles Heritage Gardens
Before
Our Partners and Artists
Before
The area between the sidewalk and the street is called a "right-of-way" and is considered public property. The property owner, however, is responsible for its upkeep. Over time these "hell strips," as they are often referred to, became and eyesore and difficult to keep presentable.
After
Our Partners and Artists
Before
In 2023, through the generous efforts of our board member and artist, Lee Lee Leonard, we utilized an artist grant she received from the Denver Arts and Venues "P.S. You Are Here" program to upgrade the right-of-way and expand Denver's public art programming.
Lee Lee's artistic vision incorporated the intersectionality of native plants used in African American culture, climate friendly landscaping, and supporting local artists to create "health strips."
These gardens incorporate plants and ecosystems used on the Underground Railroad, as ingredients in Madam C.J. Walker's hair care products, and by many other Black pioneers, scientists, and entrepreneurs.
Lee Lee and her son Thatcher have worked tirelessly to create this space. They partnered with numerous organizations to help with seeds, materials, labor, and fundraising events to make these areas attractive, educational, and uplifting to our community.
Our Partners and Artists
Our Partners and Artists
Our Partners and Artists
Part of this effort is to provide support to local Black artists as part of the gardens' features. You can currently see Jacqueline Wither's paintings hanging in the garden's trees.
We also recently added stepping stones with patterns from quilts used as signals on the Underground Railroad. These designs were created by artist Mable Sutton. More contributions from local artists are coming in the near future.