In seeking refuge from the Super Bowl I came across the most amazing movie. It’s called A Man Named Pearl and I enjoyed it so thoroughly I think it should be required viewing for everybody, not just gardeners. Seriously, go see if it’s on right now. I’ll be ok if you don’t read the rest of this post. I mean it.

The movie is about Pearl Fryar, a man with a passion for plants that I can really identify with. He’s a self-taught topiary master. Wait until you see his marvelous creations! And truthfully, I usually don’t even like topiary.

At the beginning of the film they show Pearl working in the garden in the middle of the night with huge lights on poles so he can see what he’s doing. Now that thought has crossed my mind many times but I’m not driven enough to actually do it. This guy Pearl is amazing! And, yeah, his name really is Pearl.

If you want to hear an interview with Pearl, and you should,  it’s on the second half of this Homegrown radio show. And apparently I missed an interview with Pearl in last year’s August/September issue of Horticulture. I ripped my house apart looking for it, but I didn’t find it, I only succeeded in making my house even messier.

The movie makes me want to take a road trip to South Carolina to meet him. There will be a sign-up sheet in the forum if you want to come with me!

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1. Q & A: What is micropropagation?
2. A Grassroots Movement