The 30th Anniversary of the German-American Friendship Garden

The German-American Friendship Garden was originally designed in 1983 by OvS Founding Principal Wolfgang Oehme. The Garden held a special place in Wolfgang’s heart, as it celebrates the special relationship between his native Germany and his adoptive home, the United States.

In honor of the 30^th anniversary of the Garden, the German Embassy, the National Park Service and OvS reunited to breathe new life into the plantings. OvS Principal Lisa Delplace and Designer Stacilyn Feldman joined German Ambassador Peter Ammon, German Information Center Director Rüdiger Bohn, The National Park Service, Ruppert Landscape Company, and Project Evergreen to install nearly 2500 shrubs, perennials and ornamental grasses. The plants selected for the garden are known to thrive both in Germany and the United States.

Lisa and Stacilyn also introduced the species Vernonia lettermannii ‘Iron Butterfly’ to the Garden, as a tribute to Wolfgang. Always excited about new and upcoming species, he was particularly exuberant about this new variety of Ironweed.