Pearl Fryar: A man and his topiary

Home and Garden

The documentary is a straightforward, often funny story of a laid-back, self-taught topiary artist who put Bishopville on the map and who strived to inspire others with his amazing gift.

The tiger, made of Japanese holly, adds a touch of whimsy to Fryar's garden. He has set up topiary clubs for students at risk and currently teaches a garden art course at Coker College in nearby Hartsville.

"I was told that you couldn't train a live oak," says Fryar, who can now stand high up in the 20-foot tree to clip the huge ball on top with his gas-powered hedge clippers.

"A Man Named Pearl" Fryar poses with one of his inscribed pieces, lettered with 'Hate Hurts.'

Not surprisingly, Fryar has appeared on national television more times than he can count. "I feel everyone has a God-given talent, whether they find it or not," Fryar says.

The garden has been a tourist attraction since 1990, when an early story about his crafty pruning appeared in the AJC.

Two producers have spent the past three years producing the documentary "A Man Named Pearl." The 78-minute film by Scott Galloway and Brent Pierson is tentatively set to open in Atlanta (at Regal Cinemas Hollywood 24) and other cities across the nation on Oct. 5.

Pearl Fryar, a retired maintenance engineer has created a topiary fantasy land on his three acres on the outskirts of Bishopville, S.C. He carved this design from Hollywood Junipers.

Through the years, busloads of sightseers have pulled up to Fryar's home, some from as far away as Japan and Australia. Gardening celebrities such as the late English author Rosemary Verey have traveled all the way to Bishopville to admire his handiwork.

Fryar started the garden in the 1980s with two scraggly junipers from a nursery's discard heap. In an effort to win Yard of the Month in his neighborhood, he clipped the discards into a spiral to make them look presentable. It wasn't long before the coveted sign from the Iris Garden Club stood in his front yard.

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The documentary is a straightforward, often funny story of a laid-back, self-taught topiary artist who put Bishopville on the map and who strived to inspire others with his amazing gift.

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