Friday, March 04, 2011

Shrubbery - A Celebration

You know, shrubbery gets short shrift. It borders us, blocks views of neighbors, keeps freeway on-ramps from being suicidally depressive in scope. People trim them into little shapes. Sometimes big shapes, like elephants. Have you ever seen a topiary garden shaped like a dragon, or a giant tea party? My former neighbor used to do that. And it was damn amusing. So let's explore: shrubbery among us.



"A Man Named Pearl" - the documentary about Pearl Fryar, self-taught topiary gardener who sculpts plants because it brings him (and his community) great joy.


Maybe I could find employment as a dancing shrub. My resume needs beefing up and I have a decent sense of gardening know-how and rhythm.


Animated hedge stalking with Homer Simpson.
Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Do you have juniper bushes? Rip them out, or save a couple and trim them like gnarly little trees. But don't do this:
Seriously, I can't be your friend if you do.

Give a kid a bush and a video camera and they will figure out the rest.




3 comments:

  1. "shrubbery gets short shrift"

    You should get an alliteration prize :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I patiently await the call from the Alliteration Association.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous2:57 PM

    We used to go shrubbing in El Cerrito in the 80s. As the elders have moved on to that Big Garden in the Sky, EC has lost some of its mid-century shrub appeal. The younger moderns go for that multi/native/groomed-jungle/drought-friendly look, as do I, but something, inevitably, is lost.
    MC

    ReplyDelete