The Ringling on Sarasota Bayfront
in Sarasota Florida has a number of outstanding
venues and is a centerpiece for
Sarasota. I had gone to see the Bayfront
Gardens of Ringling, where The Museum of Art, Circus Museum, Asolo Theatre and
the Ringling’s winter home Ca’D’Zan also exist, all on the same compound.
If the name Ringling
sounds a bit familiar, it should. John Ringling was one of the five brothers
who owned and operated the circus rightly called “The Greatest Show on
Earth.” His success with the circus and
entrepreneurial skills helped to make him, in the Roaring Twenties, one of the
richest men in America, with an estimated worth of nearly $200 million. In 1911, John and his wife, Mable, purchased
20 acres of waterfront property in Sarasota… where I stood and marveled on this
very day.
It all began in 1984 in an effort to win "Yard of
the Month". Mr. Pearl Fryar started
to work on his 3-acre garden at his home on the outskirts of Bishopville, SC.
In the northeast corner of
South Carolina, almost directly south of Charlotte NC, is one of the best
topiary gardens in North America and even better, the story of its creator,
curator and horticulturalist, Mr. Pearl Fryar.
In January I drove with my relatives from
Greensboro, NC to see what has been billed as the most amazing topiary garden around. I had heard, read and even seen the video ‘A Man Named Pearl’ of the creator of this garden and his extraordinary creations! This visit
turned into something quite special for me.
