Structure

Something happens to me in January.  The greyness and cold and the feeling of being somewhat trapped inside gets my fingers itching for seeds and soil and the opportunity to sit on the stoop and watch things grow.  To concole myself in the meantime, I usually read books about gardening and peruse seed catalogs.

The documentary A Man Named Pearl turned out to be added winter therapy for me.  It's about a self-taught gardener who does amazing topiary structures.  Topiary has never been my thing; I prefer gardens that have been encouraged to run wild and crowd and over-grow their neighbors.  More of a mildly neglected garden that the constant attention that topiaries require.

However, you don't have to appreciate the form or even gardening so much to like this film.  The gardener and his wife are so genuinely likeable and it's interesting to see how one man's hobby / obsession becomes an entire town's hopes for attention and a tourism industry.