Topiary artist trims garden at Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A topiary artist performed the first official trim of the garden at Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum on Friday.

Michael Gibson, known for his “living sculptures,” led live demonstrations for guests at the museum.

Guests watched as he shaped shrubs into art while explaining the techniques, history and storytelling behind topiary design.

“I came up with a concept to make the garden, the ilex vomtoria or the yaupon holly, to look like the sea,” Gibson said. “They look like waves and ripples of the water and what that voyage would have looked like when the Savannah left the harbor and made it to London back in 1819.”

The event gave visitors a preview of Gibson’s plans for a full exhibition coming to Ships of the Sea in 2027.