Black History Month: Pearl Fryar- Growing Dignity

A South Carolina man nurtures a globally-celebrated garden from the soil of discrimination

You may not be aware, but I have a “Founding Members” tier on this Substack. For their support, these members have access to a monthly one-on-one video chat with me. I offer this access as a bonus for those who like a more personal connection to the entertainment they consume, but members aren’t the only ones who get a bonus. I always come away with something new from every conversation - a new idea, a new point of view, a new tidbit of useful information. Some really smart people support this Substack.

One such person is Jennifer Rust, author of her own Substack, Lighthearted - a documentation of her weight loss journey and what it is teaching her along the way. Jennifer and I had a chat the other night and the conversation turned to Black History Month. She told me one of her favorite things to do was discover little known stories of important figures, both historical and living. And then she told me about a man named Pearl Fryar, and his story was so cool I thought you should know about him too.

Pearl Frayar, photo courtesy of The Garden Conservancy

Pearl Fryar was born into a North Carolina sharecropper family in 1939. As a young man he joined the military and served in the Korean War. In 1975, Frayar moved to Bishopville, South Carolina for work. Unfortunately, the war veteran was denied the opportunity to buy a home within town limits after white residents blocked the sale, claiming Fryar wouldn’t properly maintain his property. He instead settled down on the outskirts of Bishopville, and as a beautiful twist of “revenge” set about proving his white neighbors wrong by turning his yard into a thriving garden. He used plants rescued from the compost pile of his local nursery.

After years of gardening, Fryar began creating unique and beautiful shapes with his plants and hedges, even forming inspirational messages with his greenery. The sight began drawing onlookers from all over. His efforts were so successful his property eventually transformed into a beautiful space for the public to enjoy.

photo courtesy of the Garden Conservancy

The Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden in Bishopville, South Carolina has won awards and been featured in prestigious publications like National Geographic and Outstanding American Gardens. The garden’s website describes itself as “a three-acre garden with a purpose. Its development is a story of plants, sculpture, community, hard work, and inspiration.”

The scope of Fryar’s artistic accomplishments stretches far beyond aesthetic beauty. What began as quiet protest turned into a scholarship program, topiary design career and even an appearance on Martha Stewart’s show. The website-provided timeline reveals a uniquely American story - a lone man, motivated by to defend his own dignity against the indignities of his time, creating something out of nothing and growing it into an adventure for himself and a blessing for thousands more

photo courtesy of the Garden Conservancy

photo courtesy of the Garden Conservancy

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I included just bit of the timeline but I recommend navigating to the site and taking in this living history for yourself.

1984
Using a gas-powered hedge trimmer and salvaged plants, Pearl Fryar begins his topiary garden on 3 acres at his home. After 12-hour shifts in his day job at a factory, this self-taught topiary artist would sometimes work through the night creating what would amount to more than 150 topiaries of extraordinary shapes and sizes.

1990
Media start featuring Fryar's plant carvings of "Love, Peace and Goodwill" and, eventually, Fryar and all of his work. The exposure draws onlookers from afar. The road to his property is expanded as a turn-around for tour buses. The garden becomes a global tourist destination.

1995
Fryar receives his first commission: The State Museum in Columbia.

2006
Fryar receives the Winthrop University Medal of Honor for significant contribution to the arts.

2006
The documentary film, A Man Named Pearl, wins the Crystal Heart Award at the Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis and the Audience Choice Award at the Salem Film Festival in Oregon.

2010
The Martha Stewart Show features a visit to the Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden.

2012
Pearl is a guest speaker at NASA Langley's Diversity Day.

2014
Pearl Fryar celebrates his 75th birthday. He is also featured on National Geographic News.

2021
The McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina partners with the Atlanta Botanical Garden, the WeGOJA Foundation (formerly the South Carolina African American Heritage Commission), and the Garden Conservancy for Midland Gives, a fundraising campaign to recover, maintain, and help build community consensus around a vision and plan for long-term preservation of the Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden. The Garden Conservancy makes a $5,000 Gardens for Good grant pledge in support of the garden.

photo courtesy of the Garden Conservancy

I am grateful to Jennifer for introducing me to the work of this great American. Mr.Frayar’s work is an ode to our nation and to the culture he represents. His story is one for the history books, and I’m honored to share it with at least a few more people this Black History Month.

I’ll leave you with Frayar’s own words, featured on the topiary’s site, words we would all do well to live by.

"If everyone in this country would do one thing for someone who is less fortunate than they are, then we could solve the homeless and a lot of other problems.  I use what I have, my God-given talent, to make a difference in other people's lives. I cut up bushes." - Pearl Frayar

Here’s to the Americans who don’t crumble in the face of injustice, but instead roll up their sleeves and cut up bushes.