Know To Grow: Freedom in The Garden: Pearl Fryar, Michael P. Gibson and the Evolution of Topiary

About this event

Freedom in the Garden explores the artistry and creative journeys of Pearl Fryar and Michael P. Gibson, two Black artists who have challenged traditional ideas of topiary and expanded its possibilities as living sculpture.

Through personal stories and examples of their work, Gibson examines how freedom, individuality, and cultural expression have shaped their distinctive approaches while contributing to the continued evolution of the art form.

PHS is delighted to present the Know to Grow Webinar Series, a vibrant and inclusive program designed to nurture your love for gardening. This reimagined lecture series welcomes everyone, from seasoned gardeners to those with a budding curiosity about the plant world.

PHS's Vice President of Horticulture, Andrew Bunting, will moderate the discussion.

Michael P. Gibson is a topiary artist, educator, and creator of the Gibson Method, a contemporary approach to creative pruning that

transforms plants into living sculpture. With more than 30 years of horticultural experience and over 700 living sculptures created across the United States, he is recognized as one of the nation's leading voices in contemporary topiary.

Through lectures, workshops, demonstrations, and public art installations, Gibson explores the intersection of horticulture, art, storytelling, and wellness, inspiring audiences to see plants as a medium for creativity and connection.

His work has been featured by The New York Times, Southern Living, HGTV, and NPR, and he is the recipient of the inaugural U.S. Botanic

Garden and IDEA Center Sowing Excellence Award and the American Public Gardens Association Garden Scholar Award. Today, Gibson continues to advance the art of topiary by helping people see the creative potential of plants in new and unexpected ways.