♪ Announcer> Closed captioning is provided as a public service by the state of South Carolina.

Dyana> Funding for Your Day is provided by BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, offering health coverage to Palmetto State individuals and businesses for over 60 years.

On the web southcarolinablues.com Support comes from Fafard Soils Incorporated.

Three generations of personal commitment to absolute quality in product and service.

You'll find Fafard Products at your local independent garden center or on the web at fafard.com And from the Stories For Life Festival, planned for May 22nd through the 25th as part of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston.

This celebration of story features nationally known storytellers Connie Reagan-Blake, Donald Davis, Andy Irwin, and Carmen Deedy.

Special events include Aqua Mundi, a poetic journey through the waters of the world.

Featuring opera, poetry, music, and art from Italy.

More information is online at stories4life.org That's the number four, stories4life.org ♪ ♪ How can we make your day?

♪ Welcome to this Tuesday edition of Your Day .

Coming to you from Pearl Fryar's Topiary Garden in Bishopville, South Carolina.

With the ETV Road Show 10th Edition, Extension Horticulturists Carlin Munnerlyn and Gary Forrester will visit this Lee County landmark for today's edition of Your Day.

Today, you can watch us on ETV and the South Carolina Channel.

You can also check your local cable listings for the South Carolina Channel's repeat schedule.

Come along with us as Your Day travels to Bishopville, South Carolina with the ETV Roadshow 10th Edition.

> Pearl.

Pearl Fryar is his name and we're in Pearl Fryar's Topiary Garden, here today.

It's a beautiful garden.

He's worked many, many years on this garden.

If you ask anyone in Bishopville, "Hey, where is Pearl Fryar's Topiary Garden?"

They'll tell you, "We don't know."

Ask anybody, "Hey, where's the man that cuts bushes?"

And they'll tell you, "Oh, go down, the street, hang a left.

You can't miss it.

It's easy to find.

It's a beautiful garden."

And that it is.

It's the best kept secret in South Carolina.

Hi, everybody.

Welcome to our Tuesday edition of Your Day here at Pearl Fryar's Topiary Garden in downtown Bishopville.

It's a beautiful day, a little overcast, but within the next hour, we're going to show you this wonderful garden.

It's a beautiful garden.

Gary and Carlin are going to have many guests talking about your garden needs it's going to be an awful lot of fun.

We ask you to sit back and enjoy the next hour.

It's going to be an awful lot of fun.

Before we get to Gary and Carlin though, let's hear some music from Don Bowen.

Don, take it away.

♪ ♪ Welcome to my world ♪ ♪ ♪ won't you ♪ come on in ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Miracles ♪ I guess ♪ ♪ ♪ Still happen, ♪ now and then ♪ ♪ ♪ Step ♪ into my heart ♪ ♪ ♪ Leave your cares behind ♪ ♪ ♪ Welcome to my world ♪ ♪ ♪ Built with you in mind ♪ ♪ ♪ Knock, ♪ and the door will open ♪ ♪ ♪ Seek and you will find ♪ ♪ ♪ Ask and you'll be given ♪ ♪ ♪ the key to ♪ this world of mine ♪ ♪ ♪ Well, I'll be waiting here ♪ ♪ ♪ with my arms unfurled ♪ ♪ ♪ Waiting just for you ♪ ♪ ♪ Welcome to my world ♪ ♪ ♪ I'll be waiting here ♪ ♪ with my arms unfurled ♪ ♪ ♪ Waiting just for you ♪ ♪ ♪ Welcome to my world ♪ ♪ Gary> Oh, welcome once again folks, to Your Day.

We're here on a Tuesday afternoon.

A rather blustery day.

Although we did have a little bit of cloud cover come over here- <Amen> At the start of the show.

My name is Gary Forrester, I'm a extension agent, in Horry County.

With me today is Carlin Munnerlyn, my cohort in Georgetown County.

And we are literally in the backyard of Pearl Fryar's Topiary Garden.

Just a wonderful place to be on such a lovely day.

Carlin> It certainly is, Gary.

And I'll tell you, what a place and a great setting for the ETV Road Show's Garden Day .

Gary> It is.

Carlin> You know, I've seen pictures of Pearl's garden.

I've seen clips of Pearl's garden, but I've never actually been here and believe... believe me, they do not do it justice.

It is- He's just an artist.

I can't get over how creative he is.

And all the little accents, like the fountains and everything are just so, you know, rustic and handmade.

I'm just very proud to be here.

And I think we're going to have a great day.

And for those people who complain about doing a little pruning in their yard, they need to come see this place.

Carlin> Exactly.

Gary> All right, and with that, we're going to throw it over to Rowland.

Rowland> Okay.

Thank you, Gary.

Well, I have the pleasure of introducing Pearl Fryar.

And I, really... he ought to be introducing me.

Pearl, I know that, you've got a big crowd here round your garden, at your home.

You have a big crowd every day.

And you always get the same question.

"How did you get started?"

Pearl> Well, I guess... I wanted to do something to make an impact and make an impression because I was a newcomer to Lee County.

And, once I decided to stay, I came out, I bought this piece of property, and it was a corn cornfield.

And my goal was to get "Yard of the Month."

And... it took me a few years to do that, but, I finally accomplished that goal.

Rowland> Pearl, I think, most gardeners find that pruning is the absolute most boring and worst chore you can do around the home landscape, and evidently it's your favorite.

Pearl> If you think pruning is boring, you definitely don't want to get into topiary.

Because... especially Hollies and that type of plant, they need to be pruned every four to six weeks.

So you're constantly pruning.

You don't have time to hunt, fish, play golf.

The only thing you have time to do is prune and cut plants.

Because, it's something I like to do.

So it's no problem with me.

Rowland> Well, I know every gardener always talks about how their garden's gonna evolve.

And your garden has evolved from a cornfield to what it is now.

Where will it be in the future?

Pearl> Well, one of the things is that the Garden Conservatory is going to preserve this garden.

But I'm really proud of the fact that I was able to take my talent and do something to help other people, other kids, students that came from, kind of the same background that I came from.

And we all are not gifted academically, you know.

We could be gifted in other areas, which could be the same as gifted academically, providing we can afford our talent.

And I was fortunate enough that when I got to the point that I couldn't afford my talent, people stepped in and helped me.

So, my point is that at some point, this garden, I hope, will give scholarships to "C" students.

We have created a foundation.

And so this is the whole purpose of the garden itself, is to give back in a way in which, it will make an impact on students that feel they don't have a chance.

Rowland> Well Pearl, you've really been generous with your garden.

You've been generous with your talents, you've shared your talents all across South Carolina, and you've got a big show coming up.

You're going to be the host of Making It Grow , one day.

I understand you've got the cameras coming to Bishopville and it's going to be on national television.

Pearl> Well, that's true too.

I don't know if I'm going to be the host, but, I mean, I'd like to know that I'm in line for that job, you know.

[laughter] Rowland> Well, you've been on Making It Grow about enough to be the host on it.

Pearl> The funny thing about it, I had someone came the other day and they said, "I saw you on television."

I said, "what show?"

They said, " Making It Grow ."

So evidently they saw it on RFD.

And they told me the show, I think we did that show five years ago.

Rowland> That's right.

Well, Pearl, when people come out to see your garden, I know they ask you about the shape of the plants and everything.

How do you come up with these ideas?

Whether it's a tree, whether it's a woody, whatever it may be, when you see a plant, what do you see in it?

Pearl> Well, basically, now I've been doing it long enough I've created my own style and technique.

And I think that's basic in any artist.

A goal is to create their own style and technique because that's what separate them from what everyone else is doing.

So my style is really more of a free flowing skeleton look, with the foliage complementing, the trunk and the stem of the plant.

So therefore, it's done without any thought, really.

I really don't have to sit and think about it.

The only thing is you have to have a lot of patience because you got to start with small plants.

Rowland> What if you were a barber?

Could you cut somebody's head like this?

Pearl> I don't know if I could because I can't use gas powered hedge trimmers.

[laughter] I gotta have gas powered hedge trimmers.

Rowland> Well, Pearl, I know when you go through downtown Bishopville, it's got your signature all over Highway 15 and Main Street here in Lee County.

And I know you're very proud to show your work, you being a native of Lee County.

And Lee County is very proud of you in addition to everyone in South Carolina.

And it really tells the people, as they're traveling through the Midlands of South Carolina, that we have, some artists in the state that are very well known.

Pearl> Yeah.

Well, I'm proud of that.

I'm also proud of the fact that it's not only downtown, I have a piece over in Columbia, at the State Museum, that we moved over there in the beginning.

They were the one that first recognized my work as an artist.

Because I always considered myself a gardener.

So they moved the piece over to the State Museum as part of an art exhibition called, "Self-taught Artist."

And they talked me into being part of that exhibition, and they moved this plant over.

And today, it is one of the public art pieces at the museum, in Columbia.

Rowland> And I also remember going to Coker College in Hartsville.

You've got some work over there that I think a young lady is quite proud of, in addition to Coker College.

Pearl> Yeah.

Because... I went over there as an artist in resident and, after three years, I'm still there.

I have a class.

And if people donate money to Coker College in my name.

They get to do what I want to with it.

So, my students enjoy my class because I get to take them out to dinner we do whatever I want to do.

But in the final analysis, the message is to use what you have.

Because I teach how to use your creative ability.

Rowland> Well, everybody also ask you, "how do you keep this garden up?"

And I know it takes more than just Pearl Fryar.

You have to have help.

It's full time job isn't it.

Pearl> Well, it's a one man operation.

Up until the last four months and six months ago when the Garden Conservancy, voted to take it on as one of its preservation projects.

And so now I'm in the process of training someone as an apprentice, to at some point take it over.

Because I'm 68 years old, how much longer am I going to be able to keep this up?

But... in the beginning, I just thought it was going to be a piece of work that would last for a lifetime.

But to think that people have thought enough of it to put together a foundation in order to preserve the garden.

I feel very good about it.

And it has a mission, and the mission is going to be my foundation will give scholarships to "C" students.

So that's the whole idea of what I've done because I've done it without academics.

Rowland> Well, if you gonna give a scholarship to "C" students I'd have got one 40 something years ago.

Pearl> Yeah, but I would have got one even before that.

[laughter] But, I just want to make sure that we understand that, it's not always about academics for every student, because we can be gifted in other areas.

And you might be an average student academically, but then you could be gifted in another area would be comparable to the academics... 1,400 or 1,500 on the S.A.T.

test.

Rowland> Well, Pearl, for those gardeners that are interested in getting into topiary work, really starting out.

What's your advice?

I know they ought to talk to you and come by Bishopville.

But we've got people in Greenville down at Hilton Head along the Grand Strand over in the great Pee Dee.

What's your thoughts on telling someone really getting into topiary work around the home landscape?

Pearl> Be sure to start with three or four pieces.

Because what happens- It's a very high maintenance garden.

And when you get to the point that you're at the point I'm doing it, you don't have time to play golf, hunt, fish.

But one good thing about this type of gardening especially, I'm talking to husbands.

If you create a nice big topiary garden, it gets you out of that honey-do list.

And sometimes that's, it's great for me, you know, because my wife says, "well, you need to do this."

"Well, I gotta go out and do some pruning."

So she'll either end up doing it herself or getting some help.

So we good for that.

Rowland> Well, somehow I believe that if Pearl Fryar could hunt, if he could fish and play golf, I don't believe he'd do it.

I believe he'd be right in this garden where he belongs.

Pearl> Well, because this is- I really found my passion.

And I really feel that, in order to be successful in life at some point in no matter what you do, once it becomes a passion, then that's the beginning of success.

It doesn't matter whether your S.A.T.

score's 1,000 or 1,600.

The point is that you work at a passion, at what you do well.

And at some point, it's going to breed success.

And success and the final analysis is not becoming the President of the United States or Senator or Congressman.

But to me, success is if you able to support your family decently, if you're able to make a good living, because in the final analysis, you can't take all of it with you.

And in your final days, I think you feel great or good about the people that you have made a difference in your life, along the way.

And if we all would just stop and try to help one person that were less fortunate than we are, we could change the world.

Rowland> One thing that's always impressed me about Pearl Fryar, he's never forgotten his roots.

Pearl> Well, I think that's part of success, too.

Because if you never forget where you came from, then success will never go to your head to the point that you feel better than the people that surround you.

And I think once you reach that point, that's when life really, really stops.

Because life is making a difference.

Life is knowing that you helped someone.

And when you get to the point that you feel like everyone has got to look up to you, then... you basically stop living.

Rowland> I think life begins every day with Pearl Fryar.

And Pearl, we thank you for letting us be with you, and we'll certainly look forward to visiting your garden in the future.

Pearl> Trust me, Rowland, it's really an honor.

And I think this is our fourth or fifth show, and I feel honored to be here talking with you today.

You're welcome to come back anytime.

And if someday you want to come out and help me, we don't call it yard work.

We call it yard aerobics.

Rowland> Okay, I'm gonna let you stop right there, and we'll turn it back to Gary.

Gary> All right.

Thank you, Rowland.

And welcome back, folks.

This afternoon, I have with me Nancy Haithcock with Pig Creek Feed and Garden Supply Center right here in Bishopville.

And to start off with, Nancy, one thing I have to, to say is I've been up and down I-20 many, many times, and this is really the first time I've taken that little right turn or left turn, whichever way you're going on to 15 and come in to Bishopville.

And it's really a quaint little place back in here.

Wish I'd come in here a little sooner.

But you have a feed and garden center right here in Bishopville.

If you would, give us a little history, about your particular place.

Nancy> Well, the feed part started out, my father had hogs, and everybody wanted him to buy a little bit of feed for them, too.

And so it's evolved, you know, from that.

And now we sell full lines of feed, and then we sell all kinds of plants and shrubbery and everything.

Gary> Well, and many of people, in the state or around, metropolitan areas where we have, a lot of big box stores, big garden centers.

But, many people out in the rural areas and even those in the more metropolitan areas are starting to come, out to, local rural feed and garden centers.

Coming from that perspective, what do you give or what can you give the homeowner as opposed to, say, a big box store?

Nancy> Well, we try to give as much advice as we can or if you know, they need information about a plant or something, I'll try to find out what it is you know, if I don't know.

Gary> Right.

People in the community, you deal with them on a daily basis, year in and year out, many of them 20, 30 years.

If they've been around for that long.

You kind of get to know their, their particular sites.

You know the county well.

You know, the soils in the particular type of county.

I know as an extension agent, we know we cover, a large area in the county and we know pretty much the soils and native soils where people live.

And that's a big benefit, to these people.

When they walk in, you kind of know... what their problems are, what their problems have been in the past, and what they may need to fix those particular problems.

Some of the things that you can offer to, let's just start with a homeowner.

Okay?

I'm a homeowner.

I have several different choices I can go to, but I want to come into your shop, which is, a rural feed and garden center.

As far as, fertilizer, chemicals... what have you got that, that you could offer me?

Nancy> Well, we've got the shrubbery if you wanted to put, put shrubbery out.

If you've got just a flower garden, we've got the flower garden and we've got the fertilizers to go on it to make your grass grow.

Gary> How about how about implements?

Things like shovels, gardening tools.

Nancy> We don't have a lot of the hardware type stuff.

It's more of the chemicals and... fertilizers and the plants.

Gary> Right.

As far as plants, you carry a lot of, South Carolina grown, home grown plants.

Nancy> Just about everything we have.

We get a lot of our, shrubbery from City Nursery right here in Bishopville.

And, a lot of the regular flower plants and stuff, they come from J and W Plants in Lamar.

Gary> Well, wonderful.

I know I get a lot of questions, especially people who move into the area from up North, out West, you know, different parts of the area that aren't accustomed to, our growing conditions.

So for the spring, for the summer plants, what are some of your biggest sellers?

Nancy> Well, the Knock Out Roses have done real good this year.

It's the first time we've ever sold them, and, they've done real well.

They're lower maintenance than most roses.

And people like that.

And, Gerbera Daisies, they do really good.

They're good every year, though.

But, because they come back.

[laughter] But, Encore Azaleas, they do real good because they bloom three times a year, so.

Gary> How about bedding plants?

Y'all sell much bedding plants?

<Yeah, lots.> What's some of your biggest bedding plants in the summer?

Nancy> Well, we sell a lot of tomato plants.

Gary> Vegetables.

Yeah, that's another thing that, I know we've talked before, and you said you didn't do a whole lot of heirloom stuff, but, you use most of the mainline, tomato plants.

Other than tomatoes, what are the most popular vegetables in the area?

Nancy> Cucumbers, squash, watermelon.

We even sell okra, okra plants.

Gary> Do you sell seed or do you sell mainly transplants?

Nancy> We sell both.

Gary> Sell both.

Which one is most popular with most of the gardeners around here or they kind of run half and half?

Nancy> Probably about half and half.

Some people or other, you know, get a little jump on it with the plants.

And some people like to start from scratch and watch it grow.

Gary> Well, as far as the community... being a local, operation, how would you think that your particular store benefits the people in Lee County?

Nancy> Well, they can get good quality plants without having to go out of town.

And like I say, ours are, you know, most of our plants are from local people, too.

Gary> Yeah.

We've talked a little bit about the spring.

I know it's a little early yet for fall plantings.

I know along the coast we get a lot of questions about, what people should do during the winter time.

What are some of the plants that y'all, bedding plants particularly, or annuals that you would sell during the fall?

Nancy> Well, you sell pansies a lot during the fall.

That's a good winter one.

And, snapdragons they do good in wintertime.

Gary> They do.

It's kind of that- Nancy> Dianthus and all, they do good in the winter.

Gary> The snapdragons kind of that, fill between the pansies and... and you get into the kale and everything else and your summer annuals.

As far as, providing just logical information to, the homeowners, getting into something like planting a plant.

If I come in and I see a particular shrub, could you offer me particular information on how to put that, that shrub in the ground and exactly where in the landscape it needs to go?

Nancy> I can try.

[laughter] Gary> Yeah, we get that question a lot.

People want to come in and let us, help us design a landscape.

And landscape design is really kind of a whole personal thing.

It's really kind of difficult to do that.

Some other things that, people might be interested in, in the Feed and Garden Center, not just for the homeowner, but you also get in, to the commercial people.

Do you have a lot of commercial, landscapers that come into the area?

Nancy> Not a lot, but we've got a few that, you know, get things from us.

Gary> Selling bulk or... Nancy> They'll get, you know, a good bit of stuff and, just let me know what they want and I'll see where I can find it.

Gary> Well, that's another thing we get a lot of questions on.

People have a hard time, finding a particular plant, such as a native shrub, or a native, annual that they can plant.

Do you have access to finding any kind of native stuff?

Nancy> I don't know about that one out.

If I need anything, I always call City Nursery first and see if they've got it, and then I go from there.

[laughter] Gary> Well, I know a feed and garden center not only sell stuff to homeowners, but, you also got the feed end of it, as opposed to gardeners.

What is your other mainstay?

Nancy> Well, like I say, the feed and we have animal health care products and stuff.

Gary> How about for the homeowners, for dogs and cats.

Nancy> Oh, yeah, we've got lots of stuff for that.

Gary> I know pet business is pretty big.

So I had, couple cats at one time it can get rather expensive, with that.

Where exactly in Bishopville are you located?

Nancy> We just moved to a new location at 583 Wisacky Highway.

Gary> Okay.

Wonderful.

Some of the other things that, that I get from people who, who visit, feed and garden centers are some of the specialty products that, you might not be able to find at a larger, a larger garden center.

If there's, particular pesticide that you might not be able to find.

Can you get that or is that something that you might stock?

Nancy> I may stock it, but like I say, if I can't, if I don't have it in stock, I will call a sales rep and see if I can get it.

Gary> Yeah.

Once again, it's been a pleasure having you with us.

Anybody in Bishopville needs to come visit you.

Give us you address one more time.

Nancy> 583 Wiscaky Highway.

Gary> Okay, well, with that, I'm going to throw it over to Carlin.

Carlin> Hi and here at... the ETV Road Show Garden Day in Lee County.

We are always out and about looking for local gardeners that we hear have a really green thumb.

And I've been fortunate enough to find two local gardeners, Ms.

Cindy Eckley and Ms.

Jennifer McCutchen, who are here with us today to talk to us about some of their endeavors that they have... got underway in, our county, in Lee County.

And I understand that Lee County is blessed with several garden clubs and that you both are involved in garden clubs.

So, Jennifer, can you tell me a little bit about what your garden club is doing?

Jennifer> Yes, we're very blessed.

We have three garden clubs, the Lee Gardeners, the Iris Garden Club, and we're the Bishopville Garden Club.

Cindy and I belong to that.

We are working, The Bishopville Drug has a sign out front, and our garden club has taken on that project to plant some plants in there and get that looking real pretty.

The three clubs are trying to work at the Cotton Museum at the park.

We've kind of divided it into three sections, and each garden club we're hoping, is going to take a section and try to develop that and have it, you know, looking prettier and more beautiful.

We've also, the Iris Garden Club has done an area beside Citi Trends, and they've already fixed their little section up and got plants in there, and it looks really nice.

And we started out planting in the little troughs that are downtown.

But now somebody else has taken that over for us because it was a lot of work, and a lot of the clubs have older members who are not able to get out and do as much.

But we do try to work together with the different projects that come up.

And National Garden Week is, I believe, the second week in June, and we always try to put flowers in different businesses.

Just pick them out your garden and, you know, put them in there just to make everything look pretty.

Carlin> Well, that really sounds wonderful.

And your efforts were noticed because as I rode through Bishopville today, I noticed how nice the town looked.

And I saw the planters and some of the things that you've done it is really impressive.

I'm really proud of that work.

Also, I've learned that both of these young ladies are Master Gardeners, which is kind of dear to my heart and also Gary's.

So Cindy, tell me a little bit about the Master Gardener Program.

Was it beneficial to you?

Would you recommend it to others?

Cindy> I would, wholeheartedly.

It has been one of the best things I've ever decided to do.

I was a little nervous when I first thought I might want to do it, because I wasn't sure if I would measure up or be good enough.

But I've found that I've learned so much, I make fewer mistakes in my garden now.

I can help other people with their problems.

And I've made wonderful friends.

Jennifer and I have become closer because we're both Master Gardeners now, and we have something in common to talk about.

A common love and a common bond that we both share.

And we have other Master Gardener friends too, that we like to get together with.

And the, time just flies when we're together because we have so much to talk about.

Carlin> Well that's wonderful.

And being a Master Gardener Instructor, you know, that was one thing I was really surprised to learn about is the friendships that would be made.

I thought content, knowledge, you know, that's what I was all, all about.

And after the first class, we just had such a good time, you know, and I noticed I can go downtown and I'll see Master Gardeners eating lunch together and going places together.

And you're right, it is a wonderful place to make friendships.

Another thing we want to talk about, though, because you are such good gardeners with such green thumbs, I know that there is a lot of advice, and there are some tips that you'd like to share with our audience today.

And, Jennifer, you want to talk about these books, a minute?

Jennifer> Well, this is "The Southern Gardener's Book of List."

It's a great book.

It lists plants that will grow in dry areas, wet areas, sun, shade.

Some go in both areas.

And, I highly recommend it.

And a lady was talking with us before we started asking us "what to plant in a shady area?"

And I wish that I'd had this book at the time, and I'm gonna show it to her when we get finished so she can go and get one, because it's a great book.

Carlin> I know that it's really, it's not a lot of detail, but to get started, it's one of the first places that I turn to.

And how about this other book?

Jennifer> This is "A Gardener's Bible, The Southern Living Garden Book."

Cindy and I take this when we go to plant shows and sales because we want to know what we're getting.

And it's in this book.

Whatever you would like to look up, it has real good information, where it grows, how big it gets.

Drought tolerant, you know, sun, shade, anything you want to know?

This is the book right here.

It has all the information.

Carlin> And did you ever think one book could have so much in it?

Jennifer> And Cindy's the one that recommended it to me.

She had it to start with, and then she suggested I get it.

And I got it as a birthday present.

Carlin> Wonderful, wonderful advice and wonderful tips.

Now, what about getting out in the garden and getting down and dirty with it?

I see you've got a plant here.

How about this plant Cindy?

Do you want to tell me a little bit about it?

Cindy> Well I do, it's hard to choose a plant to talk about because there are so many that Jennifer and I both love.

But this is a neat plant, it's Autumn Joy Seedum.

And one of the nice things about it is it has this beautiful blossom that begins about now, and it stays throughout the summer.

And the blossom will start out as pink, and then it turns more of a russet towards fall.

The butterflies love it.

Jennifer and I both like to attract butterflies to our garden.

And it's also fun to propagate because all you have to do is snap a piece of it off and stick it in the ground and it will root.

You don't even really have to put it in a pot with good soil.

It will root just about anywhere you put it.

And so needless to say, I have lots of them in my yard.

And the butterflies do like them.

So it's a great plant to choose to have in your yard.

Carlin> You know, one thing about butterfly gardening that people don't always realize is that not always will all your plants look the best because you have to provide food for the larva stage, which will consume the plant.

Have you noticed that in your garden as well?

Cindy> Yes.

You don't want to go around smushing caterpillars if you want to have butterflies.

You have to be and you have to realize there are host plants that the butterflies like too.

I have Wild Cherry.

And Jennifer, we both live out in the country, and so that's a benefit to us because we have the plants that you would not normally want to have in your garden, are the host plants for the butterflies.

And so as a result, we get more butterflies.

But a great plant to have to start out with is the Lantana.

It's, very drought tolerant, and the butterflies love it.

Jennifer has a lot of butterfly bushes in her yard too.

Carlin> You want to tell us about those?

Jennifer> Well, I probably have, probably about 20.

And at one point I had about 70 Lantana and I still have about that many.

But I have two and a half acres that I have plants and that I garden on.

Carlin> You sound like me.

[laughter] Jennifer> But I love it.

It's not work, it's not a chore.

It's a passion.

As Pearl was saying, he had a passion for pruning or actually his topiary designs.

I have a passion for gardening and I love it.

It's my therapy.

Carlin> Well, you know, whenever you garden, there are times when you may have to use a pesticide.

How does that play into butterfly and hummingbird gardening?

Cindy> You try to avoid it at all costs.

I grow tomatoes.

And there comes a point in time where you have to use something for, on your tomatoes.

But I try to avoid it whenever possible.

You want to realize that, you're, if you want the butterflies and you want the birds to come to your yard, you have to be kind to them and leave off the pesticides wherever you can.

We try to hand-pick.

I go out every morning and look at my hollyhocks right now to make sure there are no, little bugs on them trying to eat them.

And that's really the best way.

If you want to have birds and butterflies, that's the best way to get rid of the bugs.

Also, recognize that there are a lot of beneficial bugs that you want to keep around.

I noticed on this plant right now there's a green spider and I will transport him back home safely, hopefully because he has a job to do in my garden.

And I want to, keep the ladybugs, the praying mantises, the spiders and the other beneficial bugs that are so important to keeping a balance in your yard.

Carlin> And, you know... we get a lot of calls in our office from people who want to destroy spiders in their yard.

And I know they can be a little gross and a little, you know, unsightly.

But all in all, they are very, very beneficial insects.

And, you know, how about neem oil?

That's the type of material that you can use in a garden like this that has fungicide and insecticides properties that can, you know, be a gentle type of pesticide that might be a better choice over some other things.

Let's talk about another plant here.

You mentioned a Spiraea that we were talking about earlier.

Okay.

This Spiraea is a little different from some.

You might notice that it's kind of a bright chartreuse type of color.

And, what is this?

Cindy> This is a gold mound Spiraea that Jennifer and I found out about at a garden club district meeting.

A lady that was speaking there highly recommended it.

The chartreuse foliage is something that really stands out in your yard.

And it also has this beautiful pink blossom that this one is beginning to be over with.

But there's still a few little places of pink, and the color combination is just really a neat color combination.

So that, that was one reason why I brought it today.

Also, this plant is actually going into the Bishopville Drug planter that Jennifer talked about earlier.

So we hope to put this in.

Carlin> And that, so that plant's going to good use.

I notice as this plant matures and goes into the fall, it actually gets a real crimson color.

I have one in my yard and it is one of my favorite because it's one of those, "wow" kind of stands out plants.

And it's very hardy.

Once it gets established, it takes the drought very well and it is really just covered with blooms this time of the year.

So I think this is exciting.

One thing I do want people to understand is that... we want to use you as Master Gardeners.

And you know, Master Gardeners to Clemson University are very important because we can't be everywhere all the time, every place.

And so we depend on our Master Gardeners for help, to help answer gardening questions.

And if you are in need of some advice and you would like to get in touch with these ladies, just call the Lee County Extension Office and tell them that you'd like to speak with Jennifer McCutchen or Cindy Eckley, and they'll be sure to get you in touch with them.

And they can route you straight to them, and they'll be glad to help you answer some of the questions that you might have about your garden.

I can tell you one thing about Lee County girls.

When I drive through it, I just love it.

It's a rural county and I have rural roots and, and I can imagine it's just a wonderful place to garden.

We're just so glad to have you with us today.

And just keep doing what you're doing and I wish you the best of luck.

And come see me sometime in Georgetown.

And we'll turn it back over to Bob.

Bob> Carlin, thank you very much.

And I'll tell you, we can't do without our Master Gardeners.

We love our Master Gardeners, they really provide a great service for us.

So we applaud them.

And we thank them very much.

Don Bowen, singer-songwriter from Bishopville.

A little break from gardening to play a little music for us.

But, Don, you were telling me a little earlier that, you've been doing this quite a while.

Don> Actually, this is my 66th year.

I started in 1943 as a young boy during World War II to sing war-bound shows in Baltimore, Maryland.

My family were all merchant seamen.

That's how we got on, they had shows on the docks to sell E Bonds, and I got started then.

And then, of course, I went through church things and then in the military, I did "Tops in Blues."

I was in a performing group called Curtain Callers.

I've written stage shows, produced a couple of shows in the military.

And then, when I got out, I came back to Washington, DC and I was writing songs by then, quite frequently.

I went to New York in 1970, and I sold eight songs.

And they said, you know, you have pretty good voice if you're going to do this, you get a little older, boy, you better get on, get it, do it.

So I came back and started doing it and I've been doing it ever since.

Bob> Now you've got a song you're going to play for us.

"Goodbye, Nebraska."

Before you play it, give us a quick little... Don> When I was a youngster, I took off one time and joined a circus believe it or not, a rodeo.

And these fellows would come from all over the country and they were broken down cowboys looking for a 300 dollar belt buckle.

And they always had a nickname.

They would be Tex or Oklahoma or whatever.

And this song, Goodbye Nebraska, is about a broken down cowboy.

And what he left and what he comes back to after he's... to something he should have have gotten on to begin with, you know?

Bob> Okay, Don Bowen and "Goodbye, Nebraska."

♪ ♪ ♪ Goodbye, Nebraska ♪ still is ringing in my ear ♪ ♪ ♪ The road back home ♪ seems changed a lot ♪ ♪ with the passing ♪ of the years ♪ ♪ ♪ the spread I owned ♪ and I called my home ♪ ♪ Stares through ♪ the morning air ♪ ♪ ♪ Past wasted years ♪ ♪ smiling through her tears ♪ I see her standing there ♪ ♪ She's crying ♪ Goodbye, Nebraska ♪ ♪ I love you till I die ♪ ♪ I never leave this place ♪ you call your home ♪ ♪ when you're weary ♪ from your rambling ♪ ♪ and you need a place to lie ♪ ♪ I'll be here for you ♪ Nebraska ♪ ♪ I'll be waiting till I die ♪ ♪ ♪ House seems cold and lonely ♪ ♪ only shadows walk the halls ♪ ♪ ♪ Scrapbook ♪ says Nebraska ♪ ♪ her man was ten foot tall ♪ ♪ ♪ my folded knuckles ♪ at my throat ♪ ♪ and a fool sits down to cry ♪ ♪ ♪ Says, goodbye Nebraska ♪ ♪ I'll wait here till I die ♪ ♪ ♪ And she cried ♪ ♪ Goodbye, Nebraska ♪ ♪ I love you till I die ♪ ♪ Never leave this place ♪ you call you call your home ♪ ♪ When you weary ♪ from your rambling ♪ ♪ and you need a place to lie ♪ ♪ I'll be here for you ♪ Nebraska ♪ ♪ I'll be waiting till I die ♪ ♪ ♪ Goodbye, Nebraska ♪ ♪ I loved you till I die ♪ ♪ ♪ Goodbye, Nebraska ♪ ♪ I'll wait here till I die ♪ ♪ Bob> Very nice, Don.

Don Bowen, singer-songwriter from Bishopville.

We'll you hang around, maybe play one more song for us.

Don> Well, Bob, thank you.

Bob> Okay, Don, thanks so much.

Hey, I understand there's a Randy Cubbage sighting in Bishopville.

Can you believe that.

Gary and Carlin are standing by with my man Randy Cubbage over there, guys.

Gary> Thank you again.

Well, we do have Randy Cubbage here.

Carlin> The one and only.

Gary> Extension Agent extraordinaire right here in Bishopville, Lee County.

Randy> Welcome you two, to Lee County.

I don't know if anybody's welcome y'all today, but, we certainly do appreciate y'all being with us.

Y'all kind of lightening up the scene around here.

Carlin> Thank you so much, Randy.

Gary> It is a change from the grandstand let me say.

Carlin> He's a fellow coworker of ours.

So we know Randy really well, and we're just really tickled pink to be here in Lee County, today, Randy.

But tell me a little bit about your position, I know you're a lead agent.

I also know that you are the Agriculture Extension Agent for Clemson University in Lee County.

But what does that really mean?

Randy> Pretty much anybody that walks in the door, it's AG.

Agent.

A major part of my day is spent with our farmers, Which, I'm very proud to spend a lot of time with them.

And I tried to get this group of people to do everything with the farmers.

But I know it doesn't work that way.

Of course, the farmers would dodge the cameras, but, I really enjoy working with those folks and the other AG.

related people.

But other things, just about anything that walks in the door, animals... it doesn't matter.

Wildlife damage, doesn't matter.

What ever walks in the door.

We were involved with it.

Carlin> How long have you been in Lee County and why Lee County?

Randy> 1983.

There was an opportunity here and in Darlington County.

And, I was very fortunate I got in both counties.

And the day came when, I was going to have to drive through Lee County to go to Darlington to work.

And I said, you know, if I lived on the county line, it would be a very difficult decision to make.

So, I wasn't on the county line.

I was actually on the Sumter side of Lee County.

So, it wasn't very hard at all to choose Lee.

And there's some great people in Lee County, agribusiness, other industry people and just community people.

So, it's like family here.

It's a great place to operate.

Carlin> Well, everyone I talk to, you know, has that to say about Lee County?

They just love living here and they love working here.

But I know that some of your, projects that you've had, Randy, in the past have really made an impact, I think, on the growers and the farmers here in Lee County.

Can you tell me about a couple of those projects that you've had that made a difference?

Randy> There were two that, stand out, one's on my head.

The Center of Excellence Project that, came about in 1998, the fall of '97.

It was a four-year project, and we did it out on the farm of Buddy Stuckey.

Buck Farms, in the western part of the county.

A great fella to work with.

Monsanto was part of it.

Dr.

John Bradley, who had been the experiment station director at Milan, Tennessee, a very popular person with conservation tillage.

Conservation tillage, NRCS people have fought and fought and fought to get people to conserve, land the way they, till... all of this.

The bio technology came on in '96, pretty much, ushered us right into this.

It was sort of like something just fall into your lap- Carlin> And this was an on-farm demonstration.

Randy> It was on-farm, but it was for farms everywhere.

Carlin> So it was really an on-farm research project more or less than just a demonstration.

Randy> Yeah, collected lots and lots of data.

Carlin> And sometimes, you know, we found that it's better to take that research out to the farm than have it on an experiment station, because it's more true to life.

Randy> Oh, yeah.

If you really want to sell something, you take a farmer to a farmer's place.

<Right> And you'll sell him.

They've got a circle, a network across this nation, I guess across the world, farmers.

And they're birds of a feather.

Carlin> Well, you know, what we were really, you know, trying to sell, were changing practices.

Another way of trying to do things and using crops that we've never used before.

So we needed, some guidelines to go by.

And Lee County, of course, was a wonderful place to have a demonstration like this.

Well, what about your fire ant project?

I hear you had a really successful fire ant project.

Randy> I want to show this so I don't forget later.

We had a, this was a major project as far as I'm concerned.

It was a community effort.

It's called, "Fire Ant's Last Supper."

And this is the brainchild of Andy Rollins, another extension agent, who was here at one time.

Kershaw County.

And actually lived here in Lee County.

And, he's moved on up to the Spartanburg area right now.

But... the two of us got to talking- And I don't know anything in South Carolina, at least the Pee Dee area of South Carolina and particular Lee County that affects everybody, touches everybody if it's not fire ants.

As nice as Pearl's place is here, I bet there are times he's had some fire ant problems right here, where we are.

<Exactly> But he's done a good job, with something to take care of them, because this is a beautiful place.

Carlin> So what did you do?

Just test different products and then, you know, look at their efficacy and the results- Randy> Our project rather than compare and comparing product side by side- Is we involved our city, council people, our county council folks.

And they did a great job supporting this because they too were affected with the same problems that so many are.

And, some bad things happen with fire ants because of them.

But, we got these folks together and... as a concerted effort, the county participated, given... lawn mower, riding mower.

We used these herd spreaders, carried 25 pounds.

They gave us people.

County did the same, city and county and it was a shared thing.

So we went to all of the grammar schools.

We went to all the parks.

We were concentrating on the children.

<Right> If the adults want to step in the fire ant mound, we figure, "stand in it."

But children sometimes don't know, the little ones.

And so we had 18 sites in this city, in this county.

In the, starting September of 2000 and we went on into March and June of 2001.

Gary> You're looking at larger acreages or individual home sites?

Randy> No, we didn't do the home sites because everybody in the world, once they found out we had a project going, "do come to my place and use it as an example."

So we didn't do it that way.

We went to these public places and got excellent support from the principals of the schools.

County administrator, everybody supported this.

We even treated the courthouse lawn.

Carlin> I know that you are an outstanding agent because you're thought highly of, all of us in Extension.

But I also hear there's another side of Randy Cubbage, that you're a vegetable grower, too.

Randy> After all this time, I didn't think y'all were ever going to bring that up.

Opportunity to sell something.

Carlin> Yes.

Okay, well tell me a little bit about your U-pick market that you have.

Randy> My wife, Brenda, Daughter, Emily, have helped me a lot.

We started this back in 1986, and we call it "Little Britches Berry Patch" because at that time, she and my son, couple of years older, Edens, were in diapers at that time.

And so we just left a name there, and we've been operating every year since.

Carlin> Well, name me some of the crops that you grow.

Randy> We've got tomatoes as our... that's our main breadwinner.

Everything, plays second fiddle to the tomatoes.

Sweet corn, and we stagger that.

As far as the harvest season on that.

We also have blackberries and blueberries.

Carlin> Blueberries?

Wow, that's quite- Gary> We have, a lot of people trying to, want to grow blueberries down on the coast.

Of course, we got those alkaline soils down there.

What kind of advice would you give them?

Randy> That's a hard one to tell people, because if you look at my plants, you'd say, "what in the world is he doing, trying to grow something and tell people how to do it?"

The plants, the blueberry plants always have lichen on them, they always look bad, but they load up with blueberries, unless a freeze gets the blooms, every year.

We water them.

They don't take a whole lot of fertilizer.

But the watering is very important.

The mulch, obviously would be.

Carlin> And you have pretty acid soils where you are, and they like acid soil.

So that's going to be a big help.

Well, what about tomatoes, you know?

Is there a particular variety that you like the most that you recommend?

Randy> We used to try to grow what people liked, and then if you remembered in the year 2002, I believe that was the big year where tomato spotted wilt virus nailed tomatoes it nailed tobacco, everything in that family of plants.

And we were wiped out.

So whatever tomatoes we made that year, we gave them away.

I didn't want to get a bad name selling something that wasn't up to my standards.

So we got different varieties, the Amelias, the Cristas.

We put in a new one this way, this year, Nico some of the Bell Rosas.

Some of these I don't know anything about them.

I like to try something new every year to put in.

Carlin> That's the only way you're going to learn.

Randy> Our staples out there are the Cristas and the Amelias.

And they were some of the, excuse me... some of the first to come along that had tomato spotted wilt, resistance.

And that's one way for that particular disease.

But that's just the beginning of problems with tomatoes.

Carlin> Well, so you're an agent.

I know you work all the time.

So I'm sure you don't get to work in that garden as much as you would like.

Is it... really a business or more of a hobby?

Randy> It started off as a hobby, and to this day it's still a hobby.

I figured somebody like Rowland always wants to know how much you make.

I was gonna tell him, "well Rowland, you got two of these Wells Fargo trucks a week.

You just got to figure it out from there."

But no, it's hobby.

It's, it's hobby.

I'm going to do it, whether I ever sell the first thing out of it or not.

And, it helps my wife out.

I get to stay outside out of her hair.

[laughter] Gary> Get out of those honey-do projects.

<We enjoy it> Carlin> Well, we wish you the best of luck with your future endeavors.

I know you've got some really important projects.

Soybean Scouting School, Cotton School is coming up this fall, that our growers really enjoy.

And it's just been a pleasure to have you on Your Day .

And we've just enjoyed Lee County so very much.

And thank you for being with us.

Randy> Thank you.

Gary> Okay.

We're going to throw it back to Bob.

Bob> All right.

You know Randy Cubbage, one of my favorite guys here in Bishopville.

Glad to get Randy on the show, today.

Well I'm back with Pearl, Pearl Fryar.

And man, we're closing out the show.

And you can see we're surrounded by, a bunch of young people here today, Pearl.

And I know they're near and dear to your heart.

Talk a little bit about some of these young people behind us.

Pearl> They came over with Dr.

Floyd.

She's working, I met her at the University of South Carolina.

And she knows that students is my heart.

And that's one of the reason I did what I done.

And, I was so excited because they made pieces to go in my garden.

I'm not going to actually put them in the garden, I'm going to save them for my personal museum.

And what's so good about it, they signed the bottom of each one, and at some point they might be a real famous artist.

And I'll have the first piece of their work.

Bob> How about that?

Now, Minuette Floyd is with us, and Minuette is with V.V.

Reid Elementary in Columbia.

And Minuette, you were also a professor at South Carolina as well, right?

Dr.

Floyd> I teach art education at USC.

Bob> Talk a little bit about the inspiration that that Pearl has had on these young, these young children to do what they've been doing.

Dr.

Floyd> Well, basically, I think it's important for children to see artists who, who look like them.

And I want them to know about some of the local artists within the community.

And I also wanted to use, Mr.

Pearl as the inspiration because I was hoping one day that we would be able to come to the garden so that they could see his actual live works of art.

Now, this isn't the first time the kids have been to the garden, right?

Dr.

Floyd> They were here earlier this morning.

This is, I talk to them in their classroom about Mr.

Pearl's garden.

And then I told them that he started making these junk sculptures.

And I wanted them, I showed them some images of some of his works, and I wanted them to design a sculpture that they thought would work well in his garden.

And that's what they did using, Crayola Model Magic.

Bob> Okay, Mark, can we get a couple of these sculptures, some of these kids, that have.

And Minuette, tell us a little bit about, what they went through to putting these together.

Dr.

Floyd> Well, basically they had to come up with a sketch for their designs, and then they used the Crayola Model Magic, to form over the base so that they would have this, you know, this sturdy, place for their sculptures, to stand.

They use their own imaginations to come up with whether or not it would be an object or a person or an animal that they think that would fit well within Mr.

Pearl's garden.

So this is actually the maquette, the small model that they would, you know, if they had the opportunity, they would build a larger sculpture for his garden.

Bob> Now Pearl this is amazing to me because not only do you start with the young people, but you also, you're a lecturer over at Coker College.

So you go from the young kids all the way up to the college kids.

Pearl> Yeah, because the main thing I want kids to understand is that everyone is not gifted academically.

And you might be gifted in some other area.

So you want to make sure you, you pursue your talent, your gift.

And, I've proven it.

And to me, the kids are proof to me that what I'm saying might make a little difference.

And that's what life is all about.

And that's what the garden is all about.

Bob> Minuette, do you feel that Pearl, what Pearl has done is going to have a lasting impression on all the young kids for the rest of their lives?

Dr.

Floyd> I do feel that.

Some of them have already said that they're ready to come back with their parents.

So, yes.

Bob> Topiary gardens.

Would you like to be a topiary gardener one day, young man?

Student 1> Yes.

Bob> How about you?

Would you like to do what Mr.

Pearl's doing?

Student 2> Yes, sir.

Bob> Pretty cool, what he does?

Student 2> Yes.

Bob> Okay.

Pearl, let me ask you, I got to ask you about- Mark, if you could.

Your signature tree over here.

We all know your movie's coming out, in July.

Your signature tree over here.

It's a beautiful, boy, I'll tell you that, I don't know how old that tree is, but talk a little about that signature tree.

Pearl> That's a Leyland Cypress.

It took seven years to create that.

And it was put in after Hugo, probably in 1991, from a plant that was probably about three feet tall.

And it took me seven years to create it.

And that is, the most photographed piece in the garden.

Bob> It is.

And it's a big signature part of the movie that's coming out in July.

Pearl> It's part of the movie, it's on the movie poster.

And a lot of the other things that I've done they kind of use it as the signature piece, because it's totally different.

And that was one of the plants.

They said, "there's no way in the world you can sculpture that plant to that point."

And, because you see it in its natural growth.

And I didn't know anything about the rules.

And I broke all the rules.

And now I'm writing my own book, and my book is going to be, "What You Don't Find In Other Books."

Bob> Well, that leads me to my next question.

We spent a lot of time over here in the last month or so and everywhere we go and I say, "Pearl, tell me about this."

And you said, "well, they all tell me that I ain't going to live."

And here it is, five, six, eight, ten years it's still living.

Pearl> Especially like Bruce spruce, Norwegian spruce, Canadian spruces.

These are plants that's more of a northern plant and they grow in much colder climates.

And I bought them for Christmas trees with root balls.

And then after Christmas I put them out in the garden.

I didn't know they weren't supposed to live, so I just treat them as if there was any other plant.

And, 10, 15 years later, they're still here, you know?

So sometimes you have to break the rules.

And then the other thing is an education is only to improve what you already have.

And as long as you work from the book, then you're never going to get credit for what you do.

But the moment that you add what you were taught, with what you're gifted at, then you became the captain of your ship.

You work a cut above average.

Then whatever you do, you get credit for what you do.

Bob> I said in the open, this was the best kept secret in South Carolina.

Pearl, I stand by it to this day.

I also said in the opening that if somebody comes by and says, "Where is Pearl's Topiary Garden?"

They don't know where it's at.

How do they get here?

And what is it that they say?

Pearl> All you got to do, If you say a topiary garden and they said, they act as if they don't know what you're talking about.

Then you just say, "where does the man live that cuts up bushes?"

[laughter] And, it'll be like, one time before people often ask me about my name.

I got to tell you, this.

They often ask me is, "What... why are you named Pearl?

Or who's in your family named Pearl?"

And I said, you know, "I had an uncle."

But the real thing about it is, I think the garden kind of go with the name.

But I often wonder what kind of garden I would have created if my name had of been John.

Bob> That's right.

Well, Pearl Fryar, it's been a pleasure to be here today.

Let me thank you on behalf of our whole entire staff and crew here from ETV.

It's been a wonderful day.

Kids, thank you so much for being here today and learning and keep staying in that, in school and learn those books and learn what Mr.

Pearl teaches you, because it'll never leave you.

Pearl> And I want to thank you, and I want to thank Dr.

Floyd for coming over and thinking about me with the kids.

Bob> Minuette, we do thank you.

Pearl> And that's from my heart.

Bob> That's right.

We also want to thank the folks at LA's Food and Flowers.

Your table, your party, your life.

That's Laura Anne Windham and Elizabeth Snyder Powell, they will be feeding this crew, in just a few minutes when we get off the air.

But, Pearl, once again, thank you so much for hosting us today.

We've had a great time here.

It's been a wonderful, association being with you over the last few months.

And, keep up the good work and we hope we can come back at some point.

Come back at any time, and we don't call it yard work.

We call it yard aerobics.

Bob> Yard aerobics.

That's what we're going to do.

That's going to do it for Bishopville today at Pearl Fryar's Topiary Gardens.

Hope you can come out to see it at some point.

It's 145 Broad Acres.

All you gotta do is ask, "Hey, where's the man that cut up the bushes?"

And you'll come to it.

That's going to do it for our Your Day program.

From our whole crew here today, we thank all the crew at ETV.

They've been wonderful to work with.

We're going to end our show now.

We'll throw it back to Dyana, Dy.

Dyana> Your Day has come to you today from Pearl Fryar's Topiary Garden in Bishopville, South Carolina and the ETV Road Show 10th Edition .

Our thanks to our partners at ETV for production assistance with today's broadcast.

Your Day is produced by Clemson University Radio Productions, located at the Conference Center and Inn at Clemson University.

Executive Producer Roy Scott.

Our Producer and Engineer is Bob McAnally.

Programing Coordinator is Charlotte Holt.

Our Production Manager is Eric Rodgers.

Field Producer is Bob Schuster.

Our ETV Intern is Adam Kesler.

Your day theme music by Duane Evans, and I'm Dyana Daniels.

Your Day is a public service program of Clemson University.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ We want to make Your Day ♪