Pearl Fryar's Topiary Garden: A Cut Above Average

By Marie Hofer

Pearl has a few rules for himself: Use a lot of mulch, just like nature does; trim often ("if you have to rake the cuttings, you've waited too long"); and use no chemical sprays or fertilizers. He also digs a shallow trench around each planting bed to keep turfgrass from stealing nutrients away from the beds and to prevent shallow-rooted trees from taking over his lawn. The cut line, he says, adds a new dimension to the garden.