The Lititz Historical Foundation's Mary L. Oehme Gardens turn 25 years old this summer and will celebrate the occasion with a garden party on Friday, July 9, from 5 to 8 p.m. The event was rescheduled from June 11. The gardens are located behind 137 E. Main St., Lititz.

The gardens were officially completed and ready for unveiling on June 9, 1996, after months of planning and many hours of work by dedicated volunteers from the Lititz Historical Foundation (LHF). With a donation from William B. Oehme, Mary's husband, and support from the LHF Tour of Gardens and private individuals, there was enough capital to complete the project. The extensive improvements tied the property's two houses together.

Derck and Edson Associates drew up the plans for the landscape architecture and also were involved with the management of the project to completion. A limestone retaining wall, fencing, walkways, benches, electricity, and water were added, and the site was made handicapped-accessible.

The Mary L. Oehme Gardens also benefited from the efforts of dedicated volunteers over the years. Each spring, Carl Shuman, a water garden expert, cleaned the century-old fish pond and added water lilies to provide shelter for the resident goldfish. The Lititz Woman's Club tended the herb garden, and Lititz Women of Today planted perennials, some of which still appear each spring. Curtis Zeller mowed the grass during the summer months and tidied up the falling leaves in the autumn. Lee Stoltzfus, a designer of period landscapes, compiled a list of plants that would have been growing at the time these two 18th-century homes were built.

During the garden party, there will be self-guided tours of the gardens, light refreshments, and volunteers available to answer questions. Admission is free, but there is a fee to take a tour of the 1792 Johannes Mueller House. The Lititz Museum and gift shop will be open until 9 p.m.