SHIPS OF THE SEA MARITIME MUSEUM
LOCATED IN THE HISTORIC WILLIAM SCARBROUGH HOUSE AND GARDENS
A TOPIARY TRANSFORMATION
OF THE HISTORIC SCARBROUGH GARDEN
THE EXHIBIT
In May 2027, nationally acclaimed topiary artist Michael Gibson will transform the historic Scarbrough Garden into a living work of art with his topiary installation, The Voyage. Inspired by Savannah’s deep maritime history and the museum’s celebrated collection, The Voyage will serve as a striking tribute to the city’s enduring connection to the sea.
Beginning in October 2026, Gibson’s process will unfold through a series of multi-day shaping sessions, transforming several large-scale Yaupon Hollies into sweeping forms that evoke the rolling wake of a passing steamship. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience the work as it evolves through a series of special programs throughout cutting season.
The Voyage opens on May 14, 2027 and will be on view through January 2030. The exhibition will be accompanied by lectures, workshops, and expanded educational and horticultural programming for visitors of all ages!
FIRST CUT EXHIBITION PREVIEW EVENT October 2026
FIRST CUT • October 2026
SECOND CUT • March 2027
THIRD CUT • May 2027
EXHIBITION OPENING NIGHT May 14, 2027
About The
Artist
MICHAEL P. GIBSON
Based in Columbia, South Carolina, Michael Gibson is a self-taughttopiary artist and educator known for advancing topiary as a contemporary art form through living sculpture, public programming, and the development of the Gibson Method.
Over a career spanning more than 30 years, he has created more than700 living sculptures across the United States and presented lectures, demonstrations, and workshops nationwide.
Featured in The New York Times and on HGTV’s Clipped alongsideMartha Stewart, Gibson also served as the first Artist-in-Residence at the celebrated Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden, contributing to the preservation of one of the world’s most renowned topiary landscapes.