Freeform topiary artist Pearl Fryar demonstrates his artful sculpting talent at the Tennessee Aquarium Plaza tonight.

“I was 40 years old when I discovered my vision of creativeness,” said Mr. Fryar, 68. “I’m one of these people that believes everyone has a God-given talent, whether or not we find it or use it in our lifetime.”

A documentary of Mr. Fryar’s topiary art, “A Man Named Pearl,” will be screened in the aquarium auditorium following his demonstration.

In 1976, Mr. Fryar bought three acres of country field in Bishopville, S.C., 150 miles from his hometown of Clinton, N.C., while working as a supervisor for the International Packing Co.

Fourteen years later, with no horticultural training, he began pruning his shrubs and trees into abstract shapes.

Beginning with small plants, a sculpture may take seven years to complete. “I prune from day one until I get the shape that I want,” Mr. Fryar said.

Today, his garden displays 400 to 500 sculpted trees and shrubs. Mr. Fryar prunes daily. He also teaches art at a local college.

“It’s about being creative and using what you have,” Mr. Fryar said. “And I want to make sure that kids who feel they’re not gifted academically know they can be gifted in other areas, and be successful too.”

Q&A

Q: With 400-500 plants to prune, you must need good gear. What do you use?

A: I use a gas-powered John Deere hedge trimmer and a Kubota electric hedge trimmer. The critical thing about a hedge trimmer is to buy a good one. If you buy a good hedge trimmer to start with, it will last a lifetime. A good gas-powered model should cost at least $400. A good electric one, at least $150.

A good trimmer also will have reciprocating blades, that is, both blades move. A stationary blade damages the plant more than it helps. You have to go over the hedge one, two, three times to get it even. But a reciprocating blade cuts like a pair of scissors, and one stroke should finish the plant.

I always buy a hedge trimmer with adjusting screws within the blade. A hedge trimmer gets dull if there’s too much clearance between the blades. If you can’t take the clearance out of the blades, in 15 minutes you’ll have to resharpen. To take out the clearance, you back off the lock nut and tighten the blade to the point that it’s tight, then back off until the little washer next to the bolt you’re tightening is a little loose.

I use a hedge trimmer all day, and the one I’m using now I’ve been using for five years, and I’ve never had it sharpened.

Q: Do you fertilize or water?

A: I don’t water, spray or fertilize. if you look at the forest, it’s never watered, sprayed or fertilized. And you rarely see plants dying for lack of nutrients or water. Nature has this natural recycling organic process — everything decays, goes back to the soil, and when it rains the soil holds the water because of the leaves that fall. Nature creates its own compost pile.

I create the same enviornment around my plants. I put pine straw, pine needles and grass clippings around the plants from day one.

I also dig trenches around the plants, at least 3 inches deep. It keeps the grass from growing under the straw and gives it a real manicured look. I really like the looks of the trenches.

When it rains, the water runs off the mulch and soaks under the mulch. Surface roots of trees (that you hit with a lawnmower), go under the trench and don’t come back up. I have no surface roots in my lawn.

Q: How often should you prune?

A: I usually prune every four to six weeks. For hedges like boxwood, compacta holly, yaupon holly, I say: If you have to rake the clippings after you prune, you’ve waited too long. I have live oaks that should be at least 40 feet tall and they’re still about 15 to 20 feet. I prune those plants about once a month or every six weeks. Pine trees I do the same thing. I prune my dogwood. I prune everything.

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